NationStates

Most of us are not legal scholars.

However, I think that most people would agree that the United States constitution required amendments in the past, especially as American society faced internal pressures to become more democratic and inclusive towards minorities. Personally, I would like to explore with you how you would amend the constitution from how it was originally written, or even how it is written today.

In my opinion, the United States constitution is a very progressive document in its original form but not progressive enough in other blatantly clear respects.

How would you change it? How would you not change it?

Discuss.

Easy, don't. There's nothing that needs to change. Well, except people need to understand that it's the supreme law of the land, not toilet paper.

Abolish the third amendment and have that old soldier man live in someone's house.

Oh and they gotta wear their combat fatigues outside their room so when it's dinner time there's mom, dad, Billy, Sarah, and two heavily armed and camouflaged soldiers eating at the table.

I would get rid of the electoral college.

Abbeyverne wrote:Easy, don't. There's nothing that needs to change. Well, except people need to understand that it's the supreme law of the land, not toilet paper.

What about Black people being considered three fifths a person? Or slavery being legal? You wouldn't change that?

the US constitution's so not saveable that a new one needs to be entirely written, like Canada did. It has so, so many flaws that no number of amendments could make it passable in the modern day. Trash it, and write a new one.

Sundiata wrote:I would get rid of the electoral college

Nope, nope, nopety nope.

The electoral college allows all voices to be heard. Otherwise politicians would do nothing but cater to New York, California, and Florida, and everyone else is chopped liver. With the electoral college, the major population centers have a bigger influence, but not an all-encompassing one.

Sundiata wrote:

Abbeyverne wrote:Easy, don't. There's nothing that needs to change. Well, except people need to understand that it's the supreme law of the land, not toilet paper.

What about Black people being considered three fifths a person? Or slavery being legal? You wouldn't change that?

That's different, as that has already been removed.

Sundiata wrote:

Abbeyverne wrote:Easy, don't. There's nothing that needs to change. Well, except people need to understand that it's the supreme law of the land, not toilet paper.

What about Black people being considered three fifths a person? Or slavery being legal? You wouldn't change that?

Those have already been done. Amendments are a part of the constitution.

Abbeyverne wrote:

Sundiata wrote:I would get rid of the electoral college

Nope, nope, nopety nope.

The electoral college allows all voices to be heard. Otherwise politicians would do nothing but cater to New York, California, and Florida, and everyone else is chopped liver. With the electoral college, the major population centers have a bigger influence, but not an all-encompassing one.

I disagree.

The electoral college stifles the voice of the electorate and caters to the narrow interests of a few electors who are hardly accountable to the general populace. Everyone's vote should be of equal worth and the electoral college prevents that from happening because it dramatically shifts power into the hands of a few States.

Abbeyverne wrote:

Sundiata wrote:What about Black people being considered three fifths a person? Or slavery being legal? You wouldn't change that?

Those have already been done. Amendments are a part of the constitution.

So you were referring to the constitution as it stands in the present day, you wouldn't change it?

Change the 2nd amendment from the right to bear arms to mandating that people must bear arms. Then get a decent election system in place, I like single transferable vote but there are some actual good ones to choose from.

Abbeyverne wrote:

Sundiata wrote:I would get rid of the electoral college

Nope, nope, nopety nope.

The electoral college allows all voices to be heard. Otherwise politicians would do nothing but cater to New York, California, and Florida, and everyone else is chopped liver. With the electoral college, the major population centers have a bigger influence, but not an all-encompassing one.

Instead of the system that exist with the electoral college where small states still don't matter and only the large, populated swing states matter.

New amendment: capitalism is banned because it's literally killing the planet

Abbeyverne wrote:

Sundiata wrote:I would get rid of the electoral college

Nope, nope, nopety nope.

The electoral college allows all voices to be heard. Otherwise politicians would do nothing but cater to New York, California, and Florida, and everyone else is chopped liver. With the electoral college, the major population centers have a bigger influence, but not an all-encompassing one.

I'm a leftist Texan and this is bullshit.

I would add an amendment to ban gerrymandering as well as an amendment to overturn citizens United and get money out of politics

Genivaria wrote:

Abbeyverne wrote:
Nope, nope, nopety nope.

The electoral college allows all voices to be heard. Otherwise politicians would do nothing but cater to New York, California, and Florida, and everyone else is chopped liver. With the electoral college, the major population centers have a bigger influence, but not an all-encompassing one.

I'm a leftist Texan and this is bullshit.

I understand the sentiment but please refrain from cursing, thank you.

Abbeyverne wrote:

Sundiata wrote:I would get rid of the electoral college

Nope, nope, nopety nope.

The electoral college allows all voices to be heard. Otherwise politicians would do nothing but cater to New York, California, and Florida, and everyone else is chopped liver. With the electoral college, the major population centers have a bigger influence, but not an all-encompassing one.

No it does not. That’s not why it was created. Stop rewriting history to suit your narrative.

Sundiata wrote:

Genivaria wrote:I'm a leftist Texan and this is bullshit.

I understand the sentiment but please refrain from cursing, thank you.

Fucking nope.

New Amendment: Anyone who shows someone rule 34 MLP without permission gets life in prison at the worst maximum security prison out there.

Abbeyverne wrote:

Sundiata wrote:I would get rid of the electoral college

Nope, nope, nopety nope.

The electoral college allows all voices to be heard. Otherwise politicians would do nothing but cater to New York, California, and Florida, and everyone else is chopped liver. With the electoral college, the major population centers have a bigger influence, but not an all-encompassing one.

Electoral college has resulted in the voice of people in 40 safe states being totally ignored. Politicians don't do anything but cater to Wisconsin, Florida, and Pennsylvania, and everyone elze is chopped liver. At the very least, make the electoral college proportional AND fix the contigent election procedure so we don't have the election decided by the house every single time.

repeal the first and second amendments, as they do nothing of note. additionally, amend it to require that only one party be allowed

Resilient Acceleration wrote:

Abbeyverne wrote:
Nope, nope, nopety nope.

The electoral college allows all voices to be heard. Otherwise politicians would do nothing but cater to New York, California, and Florida, and everyone else is chopped liver. With the electoral college, the major population centers have a bigger influence, but not an all-encompassing one.

Electoral college has resulted in the vote of people in 40 safe states being totally ignored. At the very least, make the electoral college proportional AND fix the contigent election procedure so we don't have the election decided by the house every single time.

Or better yet just have popular vote.

Genivaria wrote:

Sundiata wrote:I understand the sentiment but please refrain from cursing, thank you.

Fucking nope.

Ok.

San Lumen wrote:I would add an amendment to ban gerrymandering as well as an amendment to overturn citizens United and get money out of politics

I agree. Electoral districts should be done by computer, and there should be strict limits to how much people can donate to politicians. In addition, I think there should be an amendment that lays out a universal healthcare system, or at least authorizes one.

Washington Resistance Army wrote:New amendment: capitalism is banned because it's literally killing the planet

That'd be one hell of an about-face for the American socioeconomic system...