The Daily Show and Slate? Yeah, that's gonna be a clusterfark. Might as ask all those Anti-War Bush protesters from a few years ago. Gonna be the same thing.

OK - I'll bite.

No discriminating against anyone, for any reason, Ever.

Don't be a dick.

This is not a Theocracy. You can practice your religion right up to the point that it involves using any government resource - including schools, buildings, courts, jails, the Military... Any resource - to get other people to practice it, too. That's off limits. Which means, no tax exemptions for churches, either. Churches don't get to tell The State how to run laws. The State doesn't get to tell the Church who and how to bless.

The rights of people....

OK - y'know what? I think we can narrow it down to my second point.

"Don't be a dick." For any reason. Ever.

Done.

Make it a death penalty offense for spitting on the ground

Weed is legal.

jchic: Weed is legal.

Everyone over the age of 18 that is in okay health must take lsd or mushrooms once a year, as well as taking pure mdma once a year.

This will help with the don't be a dick amendment previously proposed. I promise.

That is not the way it is done.

Benevolent Misanthrope: OK - I'll bite.

No discriminating against anyone, for any reason, Ever.

Don't be a dick.

This is not a Theocracy. You can practice your religion right up to the point that it involves using any government resource - including schools, buildings, courts, jails, the Military... Any resource - to get other people to practice it, too. That's off limits. Which means, no tax exemptions for churches, either. Churches don't get to tell The State how to run laws. The State doesn't get to tell the Church who and how to bless.

The rights of people....

OK - y'know what? I think we can narrow it down to my second point.

"Don't be a dick." For any reason. Ever.

Done.

everything you said but "don't be a dick". our country is built on being a dick -- read the first amendment.

Free beer

Benevolent Misanthrope: No discriminating against anyone, for any reason, Ever.

So registered sex offenders should open baby sitting services? I'm OK with your premise, but I think it has to be a bit more defined.

feckingmorons: Benevolent Misanthrope: No discriminating against anyone, for any reason, Ever.

So registered sex offenders should open baby sitting services? I'm OK with your premise, but I think it has to be a bit more defined.

On the flip side, affirmative action would be no more

feckingmorons: Benevolent Misanthrope: No discriminating against anyone, for any reason, Ever.

So registered sex offenders should open baby sitting services? I'm OK with your premise, but I think it has to be a bit more defined.

There's nothing in the current Constitution about sex offenders, either. That's for the Revised Code and other legal documents. But I see your point about defining what constitutes "discrimination" - for example, noting that when someone loses rights because of a criminal conviction, that doesn't count as discrimination, but when a citizen is denied basic rights like marriage or right to work simply because of their skin color, sexuality or other idiotic reason, that's wrong, mmm-kay?

This thread: Not sure if serious.

/worried that ya'll are

Preamble: fine, but this time we mean the 'public welfare' part.
Article 1: Amend: all members of Congress must pass a citizenship test before they may be elected. This must be repeated every election. Toss the Senate, it's anachronistic. A representative may not represent more than 250,000 constituents. Wording to eliminate gerrymandering of districts.
Article 2: Fine
Article 3: Any judge may not serve a position for more than 6 years. In other words, if you serve 6 years on the 6th Circuit, you may not ever serve on the 6th Circuit again. You may not serve more than two terms at any 'level' of the judicial system - only 12 years total on the Circuit courts.
Whatever it is that sovereign citizens use for their nuttery? Don't include that.
Amendments:
1. OK as is, but specifically state that NO religious imagery may be used in any State or Federal agency.
2. Anachronistic. It would probably have to be very long, but basically you have no legitimate reason to need anything more than pistols or rifles.
3. Fine
4. Put the power back. Any evidence not covered by the warrant may not be used. If no crime is charged, evidence must be returned within 48 hours. If found not guilty, all evidence must be returned.
5. Don't touch it.
6. Define speedy trial. I'd like to include here that for false accusations, the accuser must spend the maximum possible sentence the accused could have gotten.
7. Trial by jury required for nearly all cases. Ban the plea bargain.
8. Death penalty is a cruel and unusual punishment.
9. Fine
10. Toss

12. Completely toss. Death to the EC.

Good enough for now.

Every 18 and over can do anything they want at home with anyone they want. including gambling, drugs and prostitution.
All drugs are legal.
All trades are legal. (including prostitution and gambling)
All religions are taxed identically as businesses.
No statute of limitation on rape or abuse.


sigh
why are we even trying?

GAT_00: Preamble: fine, but this time we mean the 'public welfare' part.
Article 1: Amend: all members of Congress must pass a citizenship test before they may be elected. This must be repeated every election. Toss the Senate, it's anachronistic. A representative may not represent more than 250,000 constituents. Wording to eliminate gerrymandering of districts.
Article 2: Fine
Article 3: Any judge may not serve a position for more than 6 years. In other words, if you serve 6 years on the 6th Circuit, you may not ever serve on the 6th Circuit again. You may not serve more than two terms at any 'level' of the judicial system - only 12 years total on the Circuit courts.
Whatever it is that sovereign citizens use for their nuttery? Don't include that.
Amendments:
1. OK as is, but specifically state that NO religious imagery may be used in any State or Federal agency.
2. Anachronistic. It would probably have to be very long, but basically you have no legitimate reason to need anything more than pistols or rifles.
3. Fine
4. Put the power back. Any evidence not covered by the warrant may not be used. If no crime is charged, evidence must be returned within 48 hours. If found not guilty, all evidence must be returned.
5. Don't touch it.
6. Define speedy trial. I'd like to include here that for false accusations, the accuser must spend the maximum possible sentence the accused could have gotten.
7. Trial by jury required for nearly all cases. Ban the plea bargain.
8. Death penalty is a cruel and unusual punishment.
9. Fine
10. Toss

12. Completely toss. Death to the EC.

Good enough for now.

I was thinking about a rewrite of the second amendment the other day.
Why dont we already have a list of changes ready?
Why isnt that part of the civics class we all take in high school?
(write your version/edits/what not)

MY issue with a replacement for the 2nd amendment is that we could NEVER get enough states to ratify the amendment if guns didnt stay legal.

The thing that is missing from the constitution is the concept of huge cities and townships. Back when it was written, cities were tiny. (london was ~ 700k back then, manhattan had 20k? LOL)

So it would be useful to have different allowances for different cities/what not.
Home: you can have as many guns as you want in your house for home protection, hunting, target shooting.
Cities: Cities can choose what happens on the street.
Counties and States: states' and counties' regulations only are in effect outside of the cities.
Cartage: you guns go in the trunk.
Police: police regulations are exactly the same as the citizens. if the citizens cant carry guns, neither can the cops.

HAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHAH

I. Tits or GTFO.

It's easy to see who hates America and doesn't deserve the right to vote...or live.

jehovahs witness protection: It's easy to see who hates America and doesn't deserve the right to vote...or live.

But they have 'em anyway. Neener neener.

I'm curious if anyone has thought through a list of things that they think should not fall under the umbrella of states rights.

The definition of marriage immediately comes to my mind. Seems bizarre to me that something so basic should be left to vary from state to state, especially in a world where I can be on the other side of the country in a matter of hours.

Maybe I'm wrong here, and I think localized control makes sense in most issues, but this seems like something that shouldn't be left to local control.

Thoughts, flames, etc...?

The generations of men may be considered as bodies or corporations. Each generation has the usufruct of the earth during the period of its continuance. When it ceases to exist, the usufruct passes on to the succeeding generation, free and unincumbered, and so on, successively, from one generation to another forever. We may consider each generation as a distinct nation, with a right, by the will of its majority, to bind themselves, but none to bind the succeeding generation, more than the inhabitants of another country. -- Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Wayles Eppes of 1813-06-24

Proposed revision to Article III:
1) The number of voting Justices of the Supreme Court to be set at nine
2) The title of Chief Justice, after the departure of the current holder, to pass to the senior-most appointed Justice
3) That (in light of Jefferson's observation) after a period of 25 years, or on voluntary submission to the court, a justice shall be given emeritus status; retaining the salary, and being able to present arguments as amicus curia, and all privileges of court justices saving only not being able to vote on the outcome cases.

This retains the attempted insulation of the judiciary from politics, while setting limits that might reduce some of the ossification of attitudes.

- = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = - = -

It might also be nice to figure out an algorithm for drawing the boundaries of representative political districts, both for Federal and State divisions, so as to get rid of the problem of gerrymandering.

Strengthening the "Wall of Separation" would be a good idea, but not politically viable for ratification for at least another decade.

Doing something about the Filibuster might be, but I'm leery on that. It can be used to stop bad ideas as well as good ones.

Type_Hard: ... states rights...?

pretty much everything
the concept of states rights is a hold over from the dawn of time.
Look how great the states rights are working out for greece?

Not that we will ever be able to get rid of state/regional government.

On the flip side, states rights were meant to be used as a great experiment.
Say, one state could legalize drugs while another state would criminalize drugs.
You could watch the experiment unfold and see which was a rational approach.

The same for the rest of the consensual crimes.

The best part of federal law trumping state law is in things like interracial marriage or same-sex marriage.
The worst part of federal law is the DEA shiatting all over the state of california's drug laws.

sigh

/would also be nice if there were some way to fix the incumbency problem.
/and why are our representatives geographically based? rather than based on common interests?
/nothing will change, because it would upset the current power structure

Oooh. Corporate personhood is another can of worms that should be cracked.

Note, a simple "no" probably won't do; changes probably should consider that corporations like the NY Times should be able to retain some claim to protection of Freedom of the Press.

jehovahs witness protection: It's easy to see who hates America and doesn't deserve the right to vote...or live.

Yes, that's why I have you highlighted in red.

As corporations are people, any crime committed by a corporation shall be adjudicated as a conspiracy of all individual members and owners thereof; each to serve the personal punishment of any such violation of law and carry the subsequent record and abrogations of rights prescribed by law to any similarly convicted private citizen.

Oooh... another straightforward-ish one. Add a time limit on how long an Amendment has to be ratified after being sent to the states.

There's a couple still theoretically in the pipeline that really need to be killed.

doyner: As corporations are people, any crime [...]

A bit overkill.


Hmmm... the notion of the State Secrets Privilege and Executive Privilege also could use some scrutiny.

Fair elections, being necessary to the freedom of the state, the right of the corporations to spend freely may be infringed.

Seriously, though:

Section 1. Political speech rights of the people of the United States shall not be construed to extend to the expenditure or contribution of monies by any corporation, limited liability company, or any other corporate entity.

Section 2. Nothing contained in this Article shall be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.

Section 3. Congress shall have the power to enforce this article with appropriate legislation.

abb3w: It might also be nice to figure out an algorithm for drawing the boundaries of representative political districts, both for Federal and State divisions, so as to get rid of the problem of gerrymandering.

stop using geographical boundaries.
have the votes go toward the party.
have your vote go toward any person that you want, regardless of address.

I dont care where my representative lives, I CARE about the issues that they vote on.
But the current system is run by whores.

Franklin Roosevelt's Second Bill Of Rights

Employment, with a living wage
Freedom from unfair competition and monopolies
Housing
Medical care
Education
Social security


Wiki article and video of Roosevelt speech here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_B ill_of_Rights#.E2.80.9CThe_Econo m ic_Bill_of_Rights.E2.80.9D

For the people

No person shall, under penalty of law, weigh more than 150 kilograms or be wider at the hips or stomach than 60 centimeters across.

The borrowing authority of the federal government shall automatically increase to match any legislated appropriations where expenditures exceed revenues.

/no more passing a budget and then crying foul when you need to increase the debt limit 6 months later to pay for it

get rid of words such as "crowdsource".

AverageAmericanGuy: No person shall, under penalty of law, weigh more than 150 kilograms or be wider at the hips or stomach than 60 centimeters across.

Says the AverageAmericanGuy using the metric system. (melodramatic wink)

Communist_Manifesto: jchic: Weed is legal.

Everyone over the age of 18 that is in okay health must take lsd or mushrooms once a year, as well as taking pure mdma once a year.

This will help with the don't be a dick amendment previously proposed. I promise.

Git up, git out and get something

Benevolent Misanthrope: "Don't be a dick." For any reason. Ever.

That's sound in theory, but the problem is we need dicks every now and then.

You see, if not for dicks, then who's going to fark all the assholes in the world? It's certainly not going to be the pussies. Pussies just whine about everybody not getting along, and assholes just shiat over everything, ruining everyone's good time. Pussies hate dicks because dicks fark pussies. BUT -- dicks also fark assholes. And if dicks don't fark assholes, then we're all going to be in deep shiat.

/Props to T&M

Third_Uncle_Eno: get rid of words such as "crowdsource".

Right. This kind of public brainstorming should be referred to as "hivemining." That's just got a more forward-looking vibe about it.

croesius: [imagemacros.files.wordpress.com image 508x421]

Too bad the non-fat one is a cop. I would do incredibly naughty things with her, if she weren't a professional dick-head.

Amendment 28: Tag, you're it.

Amendment 29: No tagbacks.

/should keep the SCOTUS busy for years.

If you were born in Kenya and somehow manage to become president for a second term you automatically get a third term.

And no littering. And yes I mean cigarette butts, too.

Any law in this constitution can only be interpreted by utilizing a dictionary published the same year as the law or within five years prior.

(can't stand it when people attempt to redefine an entire farking word to change the meaning of a law)

Relatively Obscure: I. Tits or GTFO.

Sorry, but I'm going to have to amend this important article ...

I. Tits or GTFO if you're hot else keep it on.

No citizen shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property unless he proves he can't act like a civilized human being instead of an out of control chimp.

Article 8008135:

It will no longer be an offense to occasionally show something if the intention was to hark back to some younger year of your youth, so long as it isn't excessively indecent and frightens children.

II. anything labeled "hipster" must die in a fire ... including hipsters.

1. Capital punishment for corrupt politicians.
2. No statute of limitations for public employees lawbreaking.
3. Results of national elections would be sealed at the close of the polls. Counting would start the next morning with the results sent to a central location at the local equivilant of 12 Noon Eastern time. This is done to prevent one state from deciding an election because of the time differences within the United States.

pecosdave: Any law in this constitution can only be interpreted by utilizing a dictionary published the same year as the law or within five years prior.

(can't stand it when people attempt to redefine an entire farking word to change the meaning of a law)

The fine folks at Conservapedia have been preparing for just such a provision.