Posted on 02/21/2009 5:26:02 PM PST by JoeA
1. Term limits at the Federal Level. The Founders never intended for the country to be ruled by a permanent political class, but rather by citizens of the republic who were engaged in the daily life of the country in ways other than as professional politicians. Their life as businessmen, farmers, merchants, and husbands and wives, would enlighten them and inform their actions and decisions during their public service.
a. One term in the Senate. Six years is more than enough time to get something done.
b. Three terms in the House. See above.
c. Two terms in the White House. Eight years in the White House is plenty of time.
2. Proposed legislation shall be limited to one issue, and bills may not be bundled with other bills. The purposes here are several:
a. Prevent the sausage-making that is the usual process in creating legislation, where large numbers of bills are packaged together to garner the largest number of votes. As we have seen all too often, representatives often vote on bills that they have not even read. Bills should stand on their own, and be passed or denied on a clear up and down vote, with direct accountability of our representatives.
b. By forcing each measure to be processed separately, we will reduce the amount of legislation produced. Hopefully, this will force Congress to work on what’s essential to the country.
c.
3. Repeal the 17th Amendment, and restore the election of Senators by the individual state legislatures. The purpose of each state appointing its Senators was to ensure that the separate autonomous state governments were represented in the national legislature. This essential part of federalism was killed when direct election of Senators was created via the 17th Amendment in 1913. Now Senators represent not the interest of the governments of their respective states, but of the population that turns out to elect them. They are nothing more than Congressman with a larger constituency.
4. Repeal the 16th Amendment, and replace it with a flat tax or other revenue generating system. The tax system in this country is a disaster, and used as a means of class warfare and as largesse to bestow on a voting block. As Alexis de Tocqueville observed: “The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.” We have long since passed that point.
5. Require that all bills cite the specific clause of the constitution that empowers the proposed legislation. To maintain a limited government of laws, we must remain true to the principals of the constitution. The national government may do only what is authorized, and nothing else, unless the constitution is revised to empower the government to take that action.
6. Require that all bills have a sunset clause, a date on which they expire. This will go a long way toward ending programs which have long since outlived their usefulness, and force the periodic re-evaluation of the government’s actions.
7. All candidates for offices at the Federal level must prove they meet the requirements set forth in the United States Constitution. Candidates will be required to submit Birth Certificates and other documents to prove their eligibility for office. Just like you and I do when we register our kids for school.
8. Change the immigration laws so that citizenship accrues only to the children of American citizens, natural or otherwise. If immigrants want their children to be American citizens, they should first become American citizens. No more anchor babies.
#0: Repeal Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid.
I like it!
I agree with everything I see, but I would suggest changing the 17th Amendment as follows: Elect one Senator statewide, let the other be chosen by the State legislature.
Would probably be difficult to do . . .
I haven’t been much for term limits but I have changed my mind on that issue.
I agree with it, nice!
I can hear the Left scream “THEY ARE TRYING TO REVIVE THE CONFEDERACY!” on this one.
I felt the same way. But term limits is less evil than what we have now, a permanent ruling political class.
I am concerned about #2. A single issue rule could easily be abused by the federal courts.
#10 Require 2/3 vote for budget bill (all the time)
#11 Call for a three month session anually for Congress (unless called into an emergency session by the president not to last longer than 1 month after called)
#12 Require bills to be read and understood by all reps and senators when voted on.
Ummm... I like but... bill of attainder?
He might be less accountable, which may or may not be a good thing. Being elected a second time at least allows him (or her) to go back to the people for affirmation of policies.
bttt
... and the problem is?... ;^]
Abolish all federal employee unions. Talk about a conflict of interest!!
Count me in.
I’m not sure I follow you. If a bill says, for example, that the US may not sell shelled walnuts to Fiji, it’s pretty specific. How could the courts abuse that?
We should rule out keeping the same Congressmen year after year, and this is why things can not be any better.
Absolutely. How can you go on strike against your country? Oh wait, what am I thinking -— it’s not their country, it’s their sugar daddy.
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