Opinion If you could add a Constitutional Amendment, what would it be?

[Lead]

This scenario is you and only you gets to add a new Constitutional amendment. You don't need buy in from the public or politicians to get it through. What would it be and why? If you had multiple ideas, why did this one get the priority? What potential downfalls could there be to what you are implementing?

Been thinking about it this week and I haven't actually come up with one yet at this point. Possibly something to address gerrymandering but figuring out what the new process would be is it's own mess to figure out. Thought it'd be interesting to hear what the WR would pick.

Unofficial Summary of Choices by WRers (up to post 45)
-Campaign donation reform (8)
-Election Changes (5)

• Eliminate Electoral College (2)
• Proportional representation in congress (1)
• No voting unless paying taxes (1)
• Tests for voters (1)

-Term limits (2)
-Age on government elected seats (2)
-Government obligation to provide for welfare of citizens (1)
-Right to Privacy (1)
-Limit tax revenue going to illegals (1)

 

[M3t4tr0n]

Gerrymandering is a good one. Also term limits.

 

[Dirt Road Soldier]

Only individuals are allowed to donate to political campaigns, and its limited to 2500 dollars a year total. This would include a ban on any big ticket meals, meet and greets, ect ect. You are also banned from donating to politicians outside of your area, so no more money flowing from all over the country into local races where donaters have no real skin in the game.

 

[Whippy McGee]

This is a real easy question and EVERY honest American should be 100% for it regardless of ideology, unless you are an Authoritarian.


28th Amendment

Only U.S. Citizens of voting age may donate to political campaigns. The limit per year is $5,000 per citizen in total contributions. A citizen may not donate to any campaign outside of their geographic impact.



Impact:

• No: foreign countries or citizens, corporations, unions, special interest groups can contribute.
• This includes all ballot measures.
• Citizens cannot donate to any politician or measure outside of their residency.

Suddenly, those elected would actually answer to, "We the People".

 

[FIMN]

All congressional elections are based on proportional representation - breaking the two party system and forcing compromise.

 

[FIMN]

All congressional elections are based on proportional representation - breaking the two party system and forcing compromise.

 

[Dirt Road Soldier]

This is a real easy question and EVERY honest American should be 100% for it regardless of ideology, unless you are an Authoritarian.


28th Amendment

Only U.S. Citizens of voting age may donate to political campaigns. The limit per year is $5,000 per citizen in total contributions. A citizen may not donate to any campaign outside of their geographic impact.



Impact:

• No: foreign countries or citizens, corporations, unions, special interest groups can contribute.
• This includes all ballot measures.
• Citizens cannot donate to any politician or measure outside of their residency.

Suddenly, those elected would actually answer to, "We the People".

This man gets it, and worded it far better than I did.

 

[AWilder]

goodbye EC.

 

[FIMN]

All congressional elections are based on proportional representation - breaking the two party system and forcing compromise.

 

[Whippy McGee]

goodbye EC.

Huge Nope. That would be the end of the nation within a decade. Just take the $ out of politics.

 

[Whippy McGee]

This man gets it, and worded it far better than I did.

I wrote that myself at least 5-6 years ago. I have it as a saved document. You understand it completely. If we took the money, especially the money that is special interest, out of politics, everything would change.

 

[Lead]

Gerrymandering is a good one. Also term limits.

Term limits for who and how long? I actually might be in the minority here in opposing those, especially for the Senate and likely the House as well.

All congressional elections are based on proportional representation - breaking the two party system and forcing compromise.

So a parliament type system? Would the state just look at the vote totals and assign a number of reps per party? Is president still voted on separately?

 

[blaseblah]

Agree with the campaign finance reform. Another one I'd like is to redefine the definition of war to include drone strikes in another country without their government's permission and that Congress has to vote and approve war on record. I don't like that Congress has abdicated their responsibility to conduct war to the president.

 

[koquerelle]

An age limit for Presidents?

 

[Oceanmachine]

Term limits for who and how long? I actually might be in the minority here in opposing those, especially for the Senate and likely the House as well.



So a parliament type system? Would the state just look at the vote totals and assign a number of reps per party? Is president still voted on separately?

Few countries have term limits for the Legislative officials

For an executive leader it makes sense though or the heads of certain executive offices

 

[shankmcgank]

Term limits for House and Senate, age limits on how old one can be to serve in the House, Senate and the Presidency.

There shouldn't be 70 and 80 year olds with dementia running the country in any branch of government.

 

[Lead]

Few countries have term limits for the Legislative officials

For an executive leader it makes sense though or the heads of certain executive offices

Yea, I don't have too much of a problem with it on the president. I think it's good for there to be career legislators in some cases. If you want good legislation to occur, that take experience and if you term limit people out, there constantly a drain on any of that. I also think it would give more power to lobbying interests because the politician would need to think about their private sector career on a shorter timeline.

 

[GearSolidMetal]

The only money politicians can make are their government salaries, and no payments or positions from companies that benefited from their decisions when they were in office after they leave office.

Its disgusting how politicians runs for office being 'Just one of you' and only a few years later are worth tens of millions by 'representing the people.'

 

[ferrisjso]

That the preamble to the constitution(you know that part of a document that describes the intent SCOTUS spends centuries arguing about) is legally binding.

This would obligate the government to provide for the welfare of all it's citizens and would be a silver bullet for all of the US's problems except for the big one(climate change).

 

[58miles]

End the Electoral College, it allows a candidate who loses the popular vote by in some cases millions to still become POTUS.