Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Two Tweaks to the Constitution
American Thinker ^ | 9-22-2009 | Jon N. Hall

Posted on 09/22/2009 5:21:17 AM PDT by no-llmd

Sometimes, We the People discover that we have made a serious mistake, and we don't want to wait for the next election to correct it. In some states, voters can correct their mistakes with a recall election, such as the 2003 recall of California Governor Gray Davis.

The recall, however, is not available on the federal level. Federal officials are removed from office by either expulsion or impeachment. Congress uses expulsion. So, removal of bad actors in congress is a matter of elected officials ousting other elected officials; the electorate has no say in the matter. But is congress policing itself?

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: constitution; recall
Term limits, recall, referendum
1 posted on 09/22/2009 5:21:17 AM PDT by no-llmd
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: no-llmd

The 1910s, what an awful decade. WWI and the 16th - 19th Amendments .


2 posted on 09/22/2009 5:36:24 AM PDT by Jacquerie (More Central Planning is not the solution to the failure of Central Planning.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: no-llmd
I agree with Mr Hall 100%. Repealing the 17th Amendment and adding Lesislative recall would solve the term limit problem in the Senate and probably the House.

I wonder if anyone out there knows the longest serving Senator prior to the 17th Amendment. I do not, but believe the “Senate Career” was just not a problem until it was passed.

3 posted on 09/22/2009 5:38:22 AM PDT by Tupelo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jacquerie
Yep...have to agree. The 17th Amendment has seriously undermined the whole concept of Federalism. If I got to rewrite the Constitution, I would also reinforce the 2nd Amendment so it's even more clear and unambiguous than it already is, i.e.:

"A well-armed populace being necessary to the preservation and security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear all arms shall not be infringed, and any person, legislature, or officer of the federal government attempting to impose restrictions on such shall be guilty of treason"

4 posted on 09/22/2009 5:41:55 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Tupelo

I am a strong supporter of repealing the 17th amendment...this amendment is responsible for the precarious predicament we find this country in right now...but when you attempt to discuss it, most people will throw the “ But we live in a democracy, and in a democracy we elect, not appoint”. I then have to go into an explaination of how we are not a democracy, how appointment by the states was designed to keep all elections and power local, but by the time i get to that, they have usually fallen asleep, or went off to talk to someone else. Really, this crap should have been taught in high school civics classes.... the ignorant have truly taken over this country


5 posted on 09/22/2009 5:44:11 AM PDT by joe fonebone (I am racist, hear me roar....I don't give a crap anymore....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Joe 6-pack

They would have if they had known about Liberals.


6 posted on 09/22/2009 5:51:39 AM PDT by screaminsunshine (!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: no-llmd

We should clip the wings of congress by clarifying the commerce clause, and reasserting the 9th and 10th amendments. Then congressional power grabs, and consequntly out of control congressmen wouldn’t be such a problem. It would also get us out from under the tyranny of Federally mandated socialism.


7 posted on 09/22/2009 6:00:47 AM PDT by dajeeps
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: joe fonebone
“Really, this crap should have been taught in high school civics classes.... “

Funny thing, this was taught to me in JR HIGH. Of course that was over 50 years ago.

8 posted on 09/22/2009 7:58:20 AM PDT by Tupelo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: no-llmd
This article reminds me of an idea that was circulating in the Nineties that never went anywhere. It was called "the Utah Option." (Why, I don't know.)

If the legislatures of two-thirds of the states passed Resolutions of No Confidence, a new election would be called within sixty days. This would be a special election to replace all members of the House and Senate, and to choose a new Electoral College to elect a new President and Vice-President.

Once the new government was in place, all federal judges and civil service bureaucrats would be fired, and a whole new government and judiciary hired.

At the time it struck me as an intruiging idea.

9 posted on 09/22/2009 10:01:37 AM PDT by Publius (Conservatives aren't always right. We're just right most of the time.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jacquerie

Wilson was a vile president.


10 posted on 09/22/2009 10:03:12 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (William Marcy Tweed was a community organizer too.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: screaminsunshine; Jacquerie
"They would have if they had known about Liberals."

Also the General Welfare Clause and Interstate Commerce Clause could use a little tighter wording so that even judges and politicians can understand them...

11 posted on 09/23/2009 6:47:25 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Joe 6-pack
The commerce and general welfare clauses were well understood with plenty of case law to support the plain language of the Constitution.

FDR's supreme court tossed out 150 years of clear thinking.

A piece of paper is no guarantor of our liberties and rights. The problem is that we the people have relinquished so much to unelected judges for so long.

12 posted on 09/23/2009 8:45:54 AM PDT by Jacquerie (We live in a Judicial Tyranny - Mark Levin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Jacquerie
"A piece of paper is no guarantor of our liberties and rights. The problem is that we the people have relinquished so much to unelected judges for so long."

Well stated.

13 posted on 09/23/2009 8:47:45 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Jacquerie
A piece of paper is no guarantor of our liberties and rights.

The Constitution exists to inform people when the government behaves illegitimately. The question is what people will do about it.

14 posted on 09/25/2009 4:18:45 PM PDT by supercat (Barry Soetoro == Bravo Sierra)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson