Write your own Constitutional amendments

[Ed W]

NPR has an interesting interactive page where they solicited amendment ideas and posted them for us to 'vote' on.  I think there's about a dozen questions, including these:

Campaign contributions to any candidate for office in the United States government from any entity shall not exceed those limits set for citizens. Corporations, companies, unions, PACs and other organizations shall not be considered citizens.

Limit Supreme Court seats to a single nine-year term with one seat getting turned over every year. Justices would be chosen by lot from a pool of candidates. The amendment would state the requisite qualifications needed (as decided by both houses of Congress). If you meet the criteria, and you want to be a Supreme Court justice, you enter your name in the pool. The most senior judge is chief justice.

A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, shall be drawn from those citizens who may keep and bear arms only after receiving proper military training.



http://www.npr.org/2011/12/14/143648941/interactive-join-our-constitutional-convention

[Red Arrow]

Campaign contributions to any candidate for office in the United States government from any entity shall not exceed those limits set for citizens. Corporations, companies, unions, PACs and other organizations shall not be considered citizens.

OK

Limit Supreme Court seats to a single nine-year term with one seat getting turned over every year. Justices would be chosen by lot from a pool of candidates. The amendment would state the requisite qualifications needed (as decided by both houses of Congress). If you meet the criteria, and you want to be a Supreme Court justice, you enter your name in the pool. The most senior judge is chief justice.

Term limits, OK.  Pool with qualifications set by congress is no better, maybe not as good as the present system.  President nominates, Congress approves/rejects.

A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, shall be drawn from those citizens who may keep and bear arms only after receiving proper military training.

We could have mopped up Iraq if those "clowns" didn't have guns.  I'll agree to civilian training in firearm safety but keep the military out of it.

[Breadburner]

Dont be an a**hole.....

[AquaMan]

 Put me in for affirmative on each one. Its good to see that there are some thinking people left scattered around the country.

Red, we mopped them up even when they had the mother of all armies!

[Red Arrow]

Red, we mopped them up even when they had the mother of all armies!

We may have mopped up their army but the aftermath that followed probably wouldn't have been if the Iraqi citizens had been unarmed.

[custosnox]

Limit Supreme Court seats to a single nine-year term with one seat getting turned over every year. Justices would be chosen by lot from a pool of candidates. The amendment would state the requisite qualifications needed (as decided by both houses of Congress). If you meet the criteria, and you want to be a Supreme Court justice, you enter your name in the pool. The most senior judge is chief justice.




http://www.npr.org/2011/12/14/143648941/interactive-join-our-constitutional-convention

The problem with this, and the reason that term limits were not originally written into the constitution, is then it becomes a political situation.  By having life terms the justices are able to make their decisions without worry of political retaliation. 

[Red Arrow]

The problem with this, and the reason that term limits were not originally written into the constitution, is then it becomes a political situation.  By having life terms the justices are able to make their decisions without worry of political retaliation. 

I believe a single, shorter term would would do the same.  If there were any chance of reappointment, then your point would certainly be valid.

[custosnox]

I believe a single, shorter term would would do the same.  If there were any chance of reappointment, then your point would certainly be valid.

If the justices have a term then they still have to worry about retribution once their term ended. I can see the whole "if you do this, you will go nowhere when your term is up" threat coming into play.

[guido911]

No on all. Here's one, if you haven't paid a federal income tax for two years and receive government financial assistance, you cannot vote.

[Hoss]

No on all. Here's one, if you haven't paid a federal income tax for two years and receive government financial assistance, you cannot vote.

GE?

[custosnox]

No on all. Here's one, if you haven't paid a federal income tax for two years and receive government financial assistance, you cannot vote.

So then, the poor get discriminated against?

[guido911]

So then, the poor get discriminated against?

17 year olds get discriminated against. Certain felons get discriminated against. Point is, persons not paying income tax vote for the folks that will give them more money. Now, will I vote for the candidate that will vote my way? Sure. I just find it troubling that persons having no skin in the game are deciding how my skin in the game is being spent.

[guido911]

GE?

Yep. And it's CEO by the way does work for Obama.

[Ed W]

Why do I get the feeling Guido would see no problem bringing back poll taxes, and worse, having no qualms about their effect?

[nathanm]

Point is, persons not paying income tax vote for the folks that will give them more money.

Prove it. I suspect there are quite a few white folks in Kansas who haven't paid income tax since the Bush cuts and happily vote for Republicans.