Everyone who thinks a new constitutional amendment is the solution, please write here what you believe is the way to get a new constitutional amendment. Write how probable you believe this to be. Write how old you are. Write whether you think you will see your dream come true. Write whether you think the earth will survive until your dream comes true. Show your reasoning,
Everyone who thinks a new constitutional amendment is the solution, please write here what you believe is the way to get a new constitutional amendment. Write how probable you believe this to be. Write how old you are. Write whether you think you will see your dream come true. Write whether you think the earth will survive until your dream comes true. Show your reasoning,
At age 94 there is no possibility that any redress to the issue of Citizens United will happen in my lifetime. I am not sanguine it will happen in the lifetime of my grandchildren either. As for the earth, I can only hope enough people will realize the threats to our existence need to be addressed. before it's too late.
Hey Jean! Sadly, I'm sure all our grandchildren WILL realize it.
It's never too late for life, but human tech (and power consolidations) will peak within our children's lives - looking at extinction rates, ocean death, toxic soil, warming, democratization of WMD instead of good governance, starvation, etc., as drivers of mass migrations and societal collapse.
The species? depends on whether we dare solve for a soft landing, or prefer to flex, or to prove someone wrong.
Actually, think we're about ready for a (normal, not manly) female leader.
Like Navalny, we take action because it is the right thing to do.
Oligarchy is just as bad for the earthтАЩs survival as it is for the survival of democracy. As тАЬDaring DemocracyтАЭ by Frances Moore Lappe & Adam Eichen says, itтАЩs a movement of movements supporting each other. Solidarity!
Martha, at 75 years old, the only way I can see to permanently remove corporate interests from our politics is by constitutional amendment, however likely it is to ever be seen. We can get a different supreme court in the meantime, by expanding the membership or either removing or assassinating some, but their decisions can be overturned. At my age I've grown used to not seeing what I plant grow to fruition. I'm fine with that now.
It's a political move for sure, and probably inappropriate for the Justice Dept to act on it for that reason alone. I do, however, also find it inappropriate for justices to serve until they die of old age without any annual review of their capabilities by an independant board of health. They are our final legal voice; there's no higher court. They need to be completely up to it.
Here is why NOT to fear a runaway Constitutional Convention.
тАЬMuch of the fear surrounding a convention is unfounded. The Convention ClauseтАЩs text and history indicate that it grants power to the States to limit the scope of any such convention. In addition, the States have the ability to reject any amendments proposed by a convention through the (3/4th of States) ratification process.тАЭ
тАУ The Other Way to Amend the Constitution: The Article V Constitutional Convention Amendment Process, Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, Vol. 30, Issue 3
Here are the arguments for holding a limited Constitutional Convention NOW.
1. Our democracy is broken, specifically, because of capitalism.
2. Our democracy can be fixed if we limit corporate and group campaign spending.
3. We can limit corporate and group campaign spending by changing the US Constitution.
4. Because Congress is broken, we can change the US Constitution via a Constitutional Convention called by states.
5. Congress has the power to change the constitution and thus set Constitutional Convention rules.
6. Constitutional Convention rules, such as those in 1973 SB 1272 and 1985 SB 40, would eliminate the fear of a runaway convention.
7. Congress will resist giving up its Constitutional powers
a. By passing its own amendment as the number of states calling for a convention nears 2/3rds which has happened four times.
b. Otherwise, by setting rules to avoid a runaway convention, if it cannot pass an amendment. This prevents "everything on the table".
8. Calls for a Constitutional Convention will jump when the rules are in place.
9. Constitutional Convention proposed amendments must come only from the subjects of the state applications per the above SB rules.
10. Each Constitutional Convention proposed amendment must be a merger of the state texts of the same subject.
11. Three-fourths of states must ratify any Convention approved amendments.
a. This prevents a Constitution rewrite.
b. The Convention cannot lower the approval bar of the states because the Constitution was approved after the Philadelphia Convention and requires an amendment approved by three-fourths of states to be lowered.
Here is why NOT to fear a runaway Constitutional Convention.
тАЬMuch of the fear surrounding a convention is unfounded. The Convention ClauseтАЩs text and history indicate that it grants power to the States to limit the scope of any such convention. In addition, the States have the ability to reject any amendments proposed by a convention through the (3/4th of States) ratification process.тАЭ
тАУ The Other Way to Amend the Constitution: The Article V Constitutional Convention Amendment Process, Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, Vol. 30, Issue 3
Here are the arguments for holding a limited Constitutional Convention NOW.
1. Our democracy is broken, specifically, because of capitalism.
2. Our democracy can be fixed if we limit corporate and group campaign spending.
3. We can limit corporate and group campaign spending by changing the US Constitution.
4. Because Congress is broken, we can change the US Constitution via a Constitutional Convention called by states.
5. Congress has the power to change the constitution and thus set Constitutional Convention rules.
6. Constitutional Convention rules, such as those in 1973 SB 1272 and 1985 SB 40, would eliminate the fear of a runaway convention.
7. Congress will resist giving up its Constitutional powers
a. By passing its own amendment as the number of states calling for a convention nears 2/3rds which has happened four times.
b. Otherwise, by setting rules to avoid a runaway convention, if it cannot pass an amendment. This prevents "everything on the table".
8. Calls for a Constitutional Convention will jump when the rules are in place.
9. Constitutional Convention proposed amendments must come only from the subjects of the state applications per the above SB rules.
10. Each Constitutional Convention proposed amendment must be a merger of the state texts of the same subject.
11. Three-fourths of states must ratify any Convention approved amendments.
a. This prevents a Constitution rewrite.
b. The Convention cannot lower the approval bar of the states because the Constitution was approved after the Philadelphia Convention and requires an amendment approved by three-fourths of states to be lowered.
Everyone who thinks a new constitutional amendment is the solution, please write here what you believe is the way to get a new constitutional amendment. Write how probable you believe this to be. Write how old you are. Write whether you think you will see your dream come true. Write whether you think the earth will survive until your dream comes true. Show your reasoning,
At age 94 there is no possibility that any redress to the issue of Citizens United will happen in my lifetime. I am not sanguine it will happen in the lifetime of my grandchildren either. As for the earth, I can only hope enough people will realize the threats to our existence need to be addressed. before it's too late.
Hey Jean! Sadly, I'm sure all our grandchildren WILL realize it.
It's never too late for life, but human tech (and power consolidations) will peak within our children's lives - looking at extinction rates, ocean death, toxic soil, warming, democratization of WMD instead of good governance, starvation, etc., as drivers of mass migrations and societal collapse.
The species? depends on whether we dare solve for a soft landing, or prefer to flex, or to prove someone wrong.
Actually, think we're about ready for a (normal, not manly) female leader.
We are of the same mind.
Like Navalny, we take action because it is the right thing to do.
Oligarchy is just as bad for the earthтАЩs survival as it is for the survival of democracy. As тАЬDaring DemocracyтАЭ by Frances Moore Lappe & Adam Eichen says, itтАЩs a movement of movements supporting each other. Solidarity!
ItтАЩs very nice. In planning the change, how do you envision proceeding?
Martha, at 75 years old, the only way I can see to permanently remove corporate interests from our politics is by constitutional amendment, however likely it is to ever be seen. We can get a different supreme court in the meantime, by expanding the membership or either removing or assassinating some, but their decisions can be overturned. At my age I've grown used to not seeing what I plant grow to fruition. I'm fine with that now.
Do you remember what happened when FDR tried to expand the Supreme Court?
It's a political move for sure, and probably inappropriate for the Justice Dept to act on it for that reason alone. I do, however, also find it inappropriate for justices to serve until they die of old age without any annual review of their capabilities by an independant board of health. They are our final legal voice; there's no higher court. They need to be completely up to it.
I wonder how one could create a cognitive examination that would not be weaponized.
Constitutional Convention called by States.
Here is why NOT to fear a runaway Constitutional Convention.
тАЬMuch of the fear surrounding a convention is unfounded. The Convention ClauseтАЩs text and history indicate that it grants power to the States to limit the scope of any such convention. In addition, the States have the ability to reject any amendments proposed by a convention through the (3/4th of States) ratification process.тАЭ
тАУ The Other Way to Amend the Constitution: The Article V Constitutional Convention Amendment Process, Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, Vol. 30, Issue 3
Here are the arguments for holding a limited Constitutional Convention NOW.
1. Our democracy is broken, specifically, because of capitalism.
2. Our democracy can be fixed if we limit corporate and group campaign spending.
3. We can limit corporate and group campaign spending by changing the US Constitution.
4. Because Congress is broken, we can change the US Constitution via a Constitutional Convention called by states.
5. Congress has the power to change the constitution and thus set Constitutional Convention rules.
6. Constitutional Convention rules, such as those in 1973 SB 1272 and 1985 SB 40, would eliminate the fear of a runaway convention.
7. Congress will resist giving up its Constitutional powers
a. By passing its own amendment as the number of states calling for a convention nears 2/3rds which has happened four times.
b. Otherwise, by setting rules to avoid a runaway convention, if it cannot pass an amendment. This prevents "everything on the table".
8. Calls for a Constitutional Convention will jump when the rules are in place.
9. Constitutional Convention proposed amendments must come only from the subjects of the state applications per the above SB rules.
10. Each Constitutional Convention proposed amendment must be a merger of the state texts of the same subject.
11. Three-fourths of states must ratify any Convention approved amendments.
a. This prevents a Constitution rewrite.
b. The Convention cannot lower the approval bar of the states because the Constitution was approved after the Philadelphia Convention and requires an amendment approved by three-fourths of states to be lowered.
Here is why NOT to fear a runaway Constitutional Convention.
тАЬMuch of the fear surrounding a convention is unfounded. The Convention ClauseтАЩs text and history indicate that it grants power to the States to limit the scope of any such convention. In addition, the States have the ability to reject any amendments proposed by a convention through the (3/4th of States) ratification process.тАЭ
тАУ The Other Way to Amend the Constitution: The Article V Constitutional Convention Amendment Process, Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, Vol. 30, Issue 3
Here are the arguments for holding a limited Constitutional Convention NOW.
1. Our democracy is broken, specifically, because of capitalism.
2. Our democracy can be fixed if we limit corporate and group campaign spending.
3. We can limit corporate and group campaign spending by changing the US Constitution.
4. Because Congress is broken, we can change the US Constitution via a Constitutional Convention called by states.
5. Congress has the power to change the constitution and thus set Constitutional Convention rules.
6. Constitutional Convention rules, such as those in 1973 SB 1272 and 1985 SB 40, would eliminate the fear of a runaway convention.
7. Congress will resist giving up its Constitutional powers
a. By passing its own amendment as the number of states calling for a convention nears 2/3rds which has happened four times.
b. Otherwise, by setting rules to avoid a runaway convention, if it cannot pass an amendment. This prevents "everything on the table".
8. Calls for a Constitutional Convention will jump when the rules are in place.
9. Constitutional Convention proposed amendments must come only from the subjects of the state applications per the above SB rules.
10. Each Constitutional Convention proposed amendment must be a merger of the state texts of the same subject.
11. Three-fourths of states must ratify any Convention approved amendments.
a. This prevents a Constitution rewrite.
b. The Convention cannot lower the approval bar of the states because the Constitution was approved after the Philadelphia Convention and requires an amendment approved by three-fourths of states to be lowered.
Mmm. How much money would you bet on the probability of this happening within 2 years?
$100. Common Cause says we are 5 states away. So 8.0% probability