American Constitution

[CARDINAL 205]

I was wondering what everyone thought about the Constitution in general, and what amendments you would like to see enacted by Congress and ratified by the states to make it an even more "perfect union"!

I personally think it's very good right now, the best in the world honestly, but with anything that is made by human beings it can be improved upon to make it even more complete and perfect.

 

The following are the Amendments that have already been enacted by Congress and ratified by the threshold of states to make each amendment below part of the Constitution:

 

*1st Amendment*

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 

*2nd Amendment*

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

 

*3rd Amendment*

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

 

*4th Amendment*

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

 

*5th Amendment*

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

 

*6th Amendment*

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

 

*7th Amendment*

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

 

*8th Amendment*

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

 

*9th Amendment*

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

 

*10th Amendment*

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

 

*11th Amendment*

The Judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by Citizens of another State, or by Citizens or Subjects of any Foreign State.

 

*12th Amendment*

The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by ballot for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an inhabitant of the same state with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and all persons voted for as Vice-President and of the number of votes for each, which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate.

The President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted.

The person having the greatest Number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President.

The person having the greatest number of votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed, and if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

 

*13th Amendment*

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

*14th Amendment*

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Section 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and Vice President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the Executive and Judicial officers of a State, or the members of the Legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion, or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

Section 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Section 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Section 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.

 

*15th Amendment*

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

*16th Amendment*

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.

 

*17th Amendment*

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

 

*18th Amendment*

Section 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited.

Section 2. The Congress and the several States shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

 

*19th Amendment*

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

*20th Amendment*

Section 1. The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

Section 2. The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3rd day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

Section 3. If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

Section 4. The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

Section 5. Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

Section 6. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

 

*21st Amendment*

Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

 

*22nd Amendment*

Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

Section 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

 

*23rd Amendment*

Section 1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:

A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

*24th Amendment*

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

*25th Amendment*

Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

 

*26th Amendment*

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

Section 2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

 

*27th Amendment*

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

[GA_Eagle 595]

I always thought you were Canadian

[CARDINAL 205]

I always thought you were Canadian

 

What is that supposed to mean?

[Omerta+ 1,206]

We gave entirely to much power to congress.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Removing the Electoral College, term limits for Congressmen, and an ERA that includes race and gender.

[Maverick 791]

[CARDINAL 205]

We gave entirely to much power to congress.

 

How so, what do you mean exactly?

[Omerta+ 1,206]

How so, what do you mean exactly?

I mean telling congress that they are able to legislate everything at the end of ever single fucking amendment. We need to limit these retards to soft helmets and apple sauce and lock them in a padded room for the rest of the natural freaking lives.

 

Congress is by far the most inept, corrupt, and generally useless arm of the government and imo should be dissolved completely and we start over with one rep from every state.

 

They try to legislate laws for the rich on the backs of the middle class, and now we are legislating handouts on the back of the middle class. It is absolute insanity that these dumb schmucks have the power to screw so many people. not to mention whenever shit gets hard they are always conveniently on a fucking break.

[blotsfan 2,112]

 

Congress is by far the most inept, corrupt, and generally useless arm of the government and imo should be dissolved completely and we start over with one rep from every state.

They try to legislate laws for the rich on the backs of the middle class, and now we are legislating handouts on the back of the middle class. It is absolute insanity that these dumb schmucks have the power to screw so many people. not to mention whenever shit gets hard they are always conveniently on a fucking break.

I don't see how that would change anything.

[Omerta+ 1,206]

I don't see how that would change anything.

 

Well we have 50 states. So 50 votes, then the one DC gets. A one time vote. Majority rules. The end. No more legislative hang ups. That and it would be so much easier to see who are the fucking lobbyist puppets and general douches. Combine that with term limits so if they fuck us they are gone and we would at least be heading in a particular direction which is more than this stagnant joke of a government we have now can claim.

[blotsfan 2,112]

I wouldn't have an issue with term limits, but that seems like it'd encourage corruption. "Why would I care if this costs me my position? I can't be reelected anyways. Might as well take the money." I also don't see how one representative per state is fair when you take into account that some states have more than 10x the people as others.

[Omerta+ 1,206]

I wouldn't have an issue with term limits, but that seems like it'd encourage corruption. "Why would I care if this costs me my position? I can't be reelected anyways. Might as well take the money." I also don't see how one representative per state is fair when you take into account that some states have more than 10x the people as others.

 

See and I thought about that lately in regards to population. However I was reminded are we not all on the same side here ? Do we really need to be bickering about what state gets more than another if the main goal is to become stronger as a unit. And in reality those people with less population are just as important.

 

As much as I am going to hate to admit this states with dense urban areas would be nothing without the food and grain of the midwest and farmland and vice versa with the production power coming from urban areas. So why quarrel over each state ? Why not worry about becoming stronger as a whole ? It makes no sense to me.

 

As to term limits. I think it would at first but then as time went on when people only reliazed they only have a short while to accomplish what needs to be done there would be less time for this lobbying and endless filibusters and so on. Eventually at some point we would find a good candidate from every state or at least you would hope.

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

Well we have 50 states. So 50 votes, then the one DC gets. A one time vote. Majority rules. The end. No more legislative hang ups. That and it would be so much easier to see who are the fucking lobbyist puppets and general douches. Combine that with term limits so if they fuck us they are gone and we would at least be heading in a particular direction which is more than this stagnant joke of a government we have now can claim.

 

But that gives too much power to the smaller states with less population. Yes, Congress needs fixed, but unless you're going to give the states vote more weight based on population, which is still not efficient in representing different communities within the state, there's no easy way to do so.

[CARDINAL 205]

I agree totally with Ngata that there should be term limits for both House Members and Senators. For Senators it should be like maybe 3 terms maximum (so a total of 18 years), and for House Members maybe like 4 terms (so a total of 8 years).

 

I think that maybe there should also be an amendment prohibiting a Military Draft, even though this will most likely never happen again, but the government should have no power to force people to sign up and volunteer for military service if they choose not to. After 9/11 there were tens of thousands, probably more, of people signing up to serve in the US Military not because of some Military Draft law, but just out of a strong affection for America and to strike back at those bastards that hurt America!

 

A Balanced Budget Amendment should also be passed and ratified, because the federal government spends way too much money currently and needs some reins on that spending. Anybody who says that deficits are not important is a stupid person, because that debit will come up for payment someday, and if the federal government is always spending recklessly than they might not have the capacity to back all of the debt.

[Zack_of_Steel+ 3,014]

See and I thought about that lately in regards to population. However I was reminded are we not all on the same side here ? Do we really need to be bickering about what state gets more than another if the main goal is to become stronger as a unit. And in reality those people with less population are just as important.

 

As much as I am going to hate to admit this states with dense urban areas would be nothing without the food and grain of the midwest and farmland and vice versa with the production power coming from urban areas. So why quarrel over each state ? Why not worry about becoming stronger as a whole ? It makes no sense to me.

 

As to term limits. I think it would at first but then as time went on when people only reliazed they only have a short while to accomplish what needs to be done there would be less time for this lobbying and endless filibusters and so on. Eventually at some point we would find a good candidate from every state or at least you would hope.

 

How is one small area like Rhode Island equal to California in voting power, simply because of a line on a map? How is it fair to let 576,412 people in Wyoming have the same voting power as 19,570,261 people in New York? Simply saying that ignoring this obvious problem would "make us stronger" doesn't really mean anything. How is allowing such a disparate balance of power going to make the U.S. stronger?

 

And you can't just be optimistic that people will eventually begin to do the right thing or that things will work out eventually, lol. That's horrible planning and akin to letting my seven year old niece play Jenga, but with people's lives (obvious hyperbole, before anyone has an aneurism).

[Omerta+ 1,206]

How is one small area like Rhode Island equal to California in voting power, simply because of a line on a map? How is it fair to let 576,412 people in Wyoming have the same voting power as 19,570,261 people in New York? Simply saying that ignoring this obvious problem would "make us stronger" doesn't really mean anything. How is allowing such a disparate balance of power going to make the U.S. stronger?

 

And you can't just be optimistic that people will eventually begin to do the right thing or that things will work out eventually, lol. That's horrible planning and akin to letting my seven year old niece play Jenga, but with people's lives (obvious hyperbole, before anyone has an aneurism).

 

Well see therein lies the problem. Wyoming DOES imo. Do you agree we need farms ? You are intelligent so I will just say yes. Well farms need far more room to yield a decent harvest so by nature alone it will have less people because if you start packing people in those areas where farms are you lose the farm. So yes they are every bit as important because they are the ones that provide things such as wheat, corn, soy, dairy, milo, and many other grains that the more populated areas need. So which would you prefer, more people in those areas or the farms that EVERYONE needs ? That is why they should have the same voting power as California.

 

We have pulled the wool over our eyes by thinking having more people means you should have more sway on politics because they have more people thus it would effect more people. That is a faulty line of thinking because if you marginalize the farmers how many more would be affected ? So yes I think all of the midwest deserves just as many votes because they are equally as important as the other ones.

 

And see that is the thinking I am talking about. Trying to divide the UNITED states into 50 different sections all with their own agendas. Are you telling me the US should not have a common agenda that all states can buy into ? Again you are intelligent so I doubt it. That said that is how a lot of this comes about. All 50 states are trying to vie for the biggest piece of the pie they can and really don't give a damn what happens to everybody else. Call me naive or what have you but I think working as a team is the only way to get out of this. Each and every state gives a little and get nothing at first. Then when we get to a place we can bargain then do it. That said I understand you will never convince a bureaucrat that he should give up money for the greater good.

[CARDINAL 205]

Well see therein lies the problem. Wyoming DOES imo. Do you agree we need farms ? You are intelligent so I will just say yes. Well farms need far more room to yield a decent harvest so by nature alone it will have less people because if you start packing people in those areas where farms are you lose the farm. So yes they are every bit as important because they are the ones that provide things such as wheat, corn, soy, dairy, milo, and many other grains that the more populated areas need. So which would you prefer, more people in those areas or the farms that EVERYONE needs ? That is why they should have the same voting power as California.

 

We have pulled the wool over our eyes by thinking having more people means you should have more sway on politics because they have more people thus it would effect more people. That is a faulty line of thinking because if you marginalize the farmers how many more would be affected ? So yes I think all of the midwest deserves just as many votes because they are equally as important as the other ones.

 

And see that is the thinking I am talking about. Trying to divide the UNITED states into 50 different sections all with their own agendas. Are you telling me the US should not have a common agenda that all states can buy into ? Again you are intelligent so I doubt it. That said that is how a lot of this comes about. All 50 states are trying to vie for the biggest piece of the pie they can and really don't give a damn what happens to everybody else. Call me naive or what have you but I think working as a team is the only way to get out of this. Each and every state gives a little and get nothing at first. Then when we get to a place we can bargain then do it. That said I understand you will never convince a bureaucrat that he should give up money for the greater good.

 

I understand what your trying to get at Ngata with your 50 states solution for representation in the Senate, but wouldn't it just be easier to just severely limit the filibuster rule and other Senate rules that are used in a similar way so that the Senate functions better, you know bills are actually debated and worked on?

[seanbrock 1,684]

The supreme court is the most powerful branch of government imo and they've completely handed the country over to corporate interests. Congress and the President are just puppets now, especially since Citizens United. Just saying.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

The supreme court is the most powerful branch of government imo and they've completely handed the country over to corporate interests. Congress and the President are just puppets now, especially since Citizens United. Just saying.

 

lolwut. They're the weakest of the three branches.

[Guest Phailadelphia]

Well we have 50 states. So 50 votes, then the one DC gets. A one time vote. Majority rules. The end. No more legislative hang ups. That and it would be so much easier to see who are the fucking lobbyist puppets and general douches. Combine that with term limits so if they fuck us they are gone and we would at least be heading in a particular direction which is more than this stagnant joke of a government we have now can claim.

 

Why in the world would you want "majority rules"? Who's going to protect the interests of the minority? That's an inherently anti-democratic policy.

[Omerta+ 1,206]

Why in the world would you want "majority rules"? Who's going to protect the interests of the minority? That's an inherently anti-democratic policy.

 

As merriam Webster has it defined:

 

democracy: government by the people; especially : rule of the majority

 

definition.

 

And you cant please everyone, that is why we are in this mess.

[blotsfan 2,112]

But you'd be ok with the representatives who represent 1/6th of the population deciding everything?

[Omerta+ 1,206]

But you'd be ok with the representatives who represent 1/6th of the population deciding everything?

I don't understand your meaning.

[blotsfan 2,112]

51 of 101 representatives in your system would represent about 1/6th of the population.

[Omerta+ 1,206]

51 of 101 representatives in your system would represent about 1/6th of the population.

 

It would probably be less than that as the house of representatives would be gone since it is more fucking useless an elevator in an outhouse.

 

There would be 51 TOTAL.

 

And this is all after about 5 minutes of actual thought. Give me an hour and I could come up something better than what we have now.

Edited April 7, 2013 by Ngata_Chance