How about this as a new Constitutional Amendment?

[thatjoeguy]

Now I'm not a Constitutional Lawyer, nor did I play one on TV (I did stay at a Holiday Inn once though) but I've got this crazy idea that we can save ourselves some headaches with one simple addition to our beloved Constitution.

Here goes but please don't shoot me :)

No member of Congress shall serve more then two terms in any single capacity as a member or more then four terms total if elected for another public office. No member of Congress shall receive any compensation of any sort from any government entity other then while serving in office except those members of Congress that have also served as the President of the United States or as a member of the Supreme Court. No member of Congress, their siblings, immediate descendants, or immediate relations of any sort thereof shall assist in any way or receive any compensation from any entity or association of said entity, whether direct or indirect, which receives any public funds or is seeking such funds from any public entity for at least 10 years following their last day served.

This I think could solve 3 problems: Get ride of the career politicians. Eliminate their cozy retirement/health care packages (forcing them to get real jobs). And also eliminating their 'cashing in' on any government work they do by obtaining any posh jobs for them or their family members while in office or within 10 years after.

And since I'm on a role how about adding this one too:

Any person seeking any public office, prior to being accepted/placed on any ballot in any state, must first show legal documentation to each State's Attorney in which state they intend to seek office, his or her qualifications to said office.

Hmm, wonder what headache this one would eliminate?

JB

[Cheburashka]

Now, and in my opinion,and the next few years is not a good time to tinker with the Constitution.

---

While the Titanic is sinking is not a good time to be taking the emergency pumps down for maintenance.

Of course, since the Titanic is sinking, you shouldn't be making plans for the future...

[spikeytx86]

My main problem with Term Limits is, you will get Politicians pushing things in their final terms that they would never dare propose if they had to face the voters again.

I think instead of term limits, we should adopt recall measures, especially for Senators, where either a certain percentage of voters signatures or a super majority in the state legislator can call for an immediate vote on whether or not the said Congressman or Senator should be fired.

Think of how many would have been recalled during the bail outs! Might make them think twice before they go all kids in a candy store on us again.

[YOUGOTIT]

Great idea I would add a few things but it is good. Only problem the Royal 100 Club will not vote for this nor will the left wing in the so called house of the people. They both violate the Constitution on a daily basis and could care less for “We The People”. One way to do it would be for a great push by the people for a state by state Constitution amendment. Two Thirds of the states must vote for a Constitutional Convention to call for Amendments but the only problem with this is that the Left would kill all of the freedoms we have in the present Constitution so the Conventions must be for one thing only stop the house and senate from their Royal carp.

[AndrewC]

Politicians pushing things in their final terms that they would never dare propose if they had to face the voters again.

Unless they die in office that eventuality always occurs(not facing voters again to be re-elected). Plus, there is a reason we have lots of representatives, two houses of Congress, a president, and a Supreme Court. And finally, what have we got to lose? The idea of term limits has a genesis and a reason.

[Lafayette]

The problem is that people in other states keep reelecting politicians who amass more power than they should. Especially Massachusetts. Teddy Kennedy, Barney Frank.

And there is another issue of professional politicians. I believe citizen-legislators would be preferable. Politics should be a part of people's lives, not their whole lives. And professional politicians whose whole lives are politics apparently believe that all of life is politics. Bah!

[AndrewC]

Are you saying that the President of the U.S. along with the Consent of the Senate, can dissolve the states by making a treaty with a nation who doesn’t like our form of government? Or can impose a form of government which is not a republic? Because that is what you are implying. A treaty is a law. A law can be repealed by the legislature and the President by using another law. Only the states can modify the provisions of the Constitution. And it takes a lot of them.(In reality, 5 idiot members of the Supreme Court can overturn the Constitution, because we let them.)

[sonic109]

I have been saying that for a long time my friend. We need to organize ( that is how the left beat us while we were chatting online) and concentrate efforts and get rid of the far left one person at a time , one bill at a time. If we ALL decided on one bill for instance and FLOODED the the sponsors of that bill with tons of letters and calls , protest in person , we could get the job done. I’m with you my friend. I’m not retired but I’ll spend vacation time and money to save the USA.

[Redbob]

"Term limits in Congress would be good for America. Which is why the Democrats will never permit it."

I can even think of a Republican or two who might oppose this...

</sarc>

[brityank]

The "Authority of the United States" is dependent on the valid Constitution; therefor all laws and treaties must be subservient thereto.

The Constitution is the highest Authority, and all laws and treaties must abide by its restrictions, else they are unlawful.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

How do you read this part of Article VI I posted in my reply 58?

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

U.S. Constitution - Article 6

Article 6 - Debts, Supremacy, Oaths

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into,
before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be
as valid against the United States under this
Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States
which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all
Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the
Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme
Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall
be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or
Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned,
and the Members of the several State Legislatures,
and all executive and judicial Officers, both of
the United States and of the several States, shall
be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be
required as a Qualification to any Office or public
Trust under the United States.

[sonic109]

The same government who caused the countries financial problems are saying they can now fix their own mistakes. Why isn’t Barney Frank in jail ? WHY ?

[adorno]

The term limits amendment has a lot of following.

But, better than the term limits would be: making sure that the electorate, all of it, is well informed on the issues, at least the most important ones, and that that same electorate have some very basic understanding of how our type of democracy works, and that they should be very informed about each of the candidates, and where each one of those candidates stands on all the issues.

If we can’t get the whole electorate to be so well-informed, then perhaps only those with enough knowledge about our form of government, and each of the candidates and the issues, should be allowed to vote.

At least then, we could be sure that the dummies and the ignorant and the ill-informed and brain-washed wouldn’t be destroying our country.

Term limits are good, but, a well-informed and idiot-proof election process would be more preferable. Well-informed people tend to make better decisions, and one of those decisions would be throwing out those that are harmful to our democracy and our well-being, which of course includes career politicians.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Article. IV Section 4 - Republican government is ignored
by our Government.

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this
Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect
each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the
Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature
cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.

[brityank]

Suggest you check into U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875 from the Library of Congress ^.

Additionally, SuiJuris Law Forums ^ has a thread with more detail of its loss from our system. (Links will open in a new window)

The Original Thirteenth Article of Amendment To The Constitution For The United States

"If any citizen of the United States shall accept, claim, receive, or retain any title of nobility or honour, or shall without the consent of Congress, accept and retain any present, pension, office, or emolument of any kind whatever, from any emperor, king, prince, or foreign power, such person shall cease to be a citizen of the United States, and shall be incapable of holding any office of trust or profit under them, or either of them."

The original 13^th Amendment would have resolved most of the problems you seem to address, but likely introduce some new ones - such as a landed bureaucracy of feather-bedded union flunkies worse than we have today. Somehow I do think that would be preferable, as the worst decision of the US supreme Court would likely not have been allowed, that being the 1886 decision in a tax case that violated the current 14^th Amendment; Santa Clara County v. Southern Pacific R. Co., 118 U.S. 394 ^. Without that, most of the lobbyists and third-party non-profits would have no standing.

Don't worry, be happy; Resident Buttock Obummer's gonna change it!

[RightWhale]

No more Constitutional Amendments.

[brityank]

What part of "Authority" don't you comprehend? Seems the American school system is very deficient in teaching the English language and its meanings. That the legislatures and courts have undermined the true meaning is no reason to simply accept it and let it go.

Check #78 for added info.

"England and America are two countries divided by a common language"
      -- George Bernard Shaw

Cheers.     :^)