Two Amendments presented without comment, but feel free to pass your own:
24 comments
18th Amendment, aka “Prohibition”. I don’t much approve of alcohol (family reasons) and I despise “recreational” drugs (reasons), but the banning of either creates far more problems than their usage.
Worse Amendments thus far under most destructive President prior to the modern era.
And both part of the Early 20th Century Progressive Movement.
Federal income tax is what gave them the power because it gave them the money. If the amendment had capped the income tax at 2% for the highest earners, it might not have been as damaging.
The direct election of senators is worse. It destroyed the balance between the House and the Senate. If the Senators are representing the States and the House is representing the people in the federal legislative branch, then they have differing priorities and passing legislation through both both bodies requires more consideration. With direct election, both bodies are forced to answer directly to the voters and the States lost any representation in the federal system.
14th. Served a function to clarify the status of former slaves. Wasn’t intended to apply to illegal aliens, tourists, or foreign diplomats, yet has been interpreted to do exactly that. Given that all the former slaves are dead now, and their descendants are recognized as citizens, the 14th should be repealed.
19th (this one may get me in trouble). Men have to sign up to die for our country before we’re allowed to vote. Women aren’t. Nor are they required to do anything else before exercising the power of the franchise, and that which one gains too cheaply, one esteems too lightly. The passage of the 19th corresponds to a permanent upsurge in the growth of the size, power, and intrusiveness of the FedGov as politicians realized they could promise the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars to women, at men’s expense, and get elected in perpetuity. If we’re going to let women vote and hold public office then we should at least require that they fulfil their biological function in a socially-supportive manner first: votes for married mothers of two or more children by their husbands only. Single-moms, divorcees, and childless women need not apply.
So, why have taxation at all? If cryptocoin is a valid form of wealth, why not have State and Federal mines, powered by recycled naval reactors?
.
19th “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.”
The third in the holy trinity, with the two Kim cited, that “constitutionalized” the destruction of our heritage.
As a woman, I’ll happily give up my ‘right’ to vote if it means preventing all the other gullible females from doing so. I was appalled at how many otherwise seemingly intelligent women bought into the whole “vote with your lady parts” crap the other year. For a party that claims that the Republicans/Conservatives think that all women should be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, they sure think the only part of us that is important is our reproductive organs. (And that only in the context of not reproducing.)
It’s amazing how many people look confused when you point out that if they are screeching about “reproductive rights” they need to be supporting infertility treatments too.
Please don’t vote with your “lady parts” It leaves the voting booth sticky and smelly.
That was my first thought, especially if it were one of the old lever machines.
And then I tried to imagine the gymnastics involved in any sort of voting using those parts.
And then I decided I needed a drink instead.
The one that’s missing which limits the terms a congress criminal can hold office. I really despise that one.
I’d also like to see an amendment restricting voting to those who pay income tax. If one has a negative tax bill at the end of the year (not a refund, but no taxes owed, and the gov’t is sending a check for more, except maybe for the child tax credit) one does not get to vote the following year.
I have no idea how it would be implemented, but it’s a nice pipe dream that only the people who pay for it can vote, however indirectly, on how it’s being spent.
I’d rather see the income tax, and all payroll taxes, abolished altogether. Fund the Feds with an import tariff and a national sales tax. The Left says consumerism is bad? Fine, tax it. You get less of what you tax and more of what you subsidize. So what do they want to tax? Income. Wealth generation. Job creation.
That works too.
Yeah but it would have to be a point of sale tax, separately identified. No VAT which hides the level of taxation. And if the income tax stays, no withholding. Payment in full of Tax Day which should be set at two weeks before election day, assuming we still have such a thing.
My only objection to term limits for elected officials is that they would hardly be there long enough to figure out how to work against the Deep State before they had to leave for another elected position. The Deep State would forever be in charge after such an amendment.
All you Americans need to do is repent of your rebellion and Her Maj will sort out all those pesky politicians for you sharpish. 🙂
I’m not hearing much good coming out of Old Blighty of late. Not sure trading our problems for theirs is any kind of improvement.
Our problems pale before what is consuming Blighty.
No Thanks, Old Chum!
God Save The Queen! (That is, as long as she stays on her damn side of The Pond.)
I have never quite understood the people that think the 17A is the root of all evil. First of all, many states already directly elected Senators before the 17A was passed (and were calling for an Article V convention to address the issue) and all would undoubtedly continue to do so if it were repealed. Second, if you think Congress is useless and dangerous, try hanging around some state capitols. I have and they are worse.
Both should be repealed, along with the 19th.
Since that whole parchment under glass is not about me I pretty much ignore it. I pretend I’m free more than most other people.
Amendment The Second:
I think the wording is clunky and ambiguous.
I think the inclusion of peripheral subjects dilutes the intent.
Re-writing the Second, I would go with something along the lines of:
* Paragraph One:
Any law, code, act, regulation, attempt to register, and/or other infringement nincompoopery on ownership, possession, transfer, or carrying of firearms and other weapons and/or their accompanying devices such as mufflers, sighting devices, and/or ammunition is illegal and can be safely ignored at the user’s discretion.
* Paragraph Two:
Any individual, company, corporation, or government agent advocating the violation of Paragraph One is a nincompoop, and should be sternly advised to ‘mind your own business’.
18th Amendment, aka “Prohibition”. I don’t much approve of alcohol (family reasons) and I despise “recreational” drugs (reasons), but the banning of either creates far more problems than their usage.
Worse Amendments thus far under most destructive President prior to the modern era.
And both part of the Early 20th Century Progressive Movement.
Federal income tax is what gave them the power because it gave them the money. If the amendment had capped the income tax at 2% for the highest earners, it might not have been as damaging.
The direct election of senators is worse. It destroyed the balance between the House and the Senate. If the Senators are representing the States and the House is representing the people in the federal legislative branch, then they have differing priorities and passing legislation through both both bodies requires more consideration. With direct election, both bodies are forced to answer directly to the voters and the States lost any representation in the federal system.
14th. Served a function to clarify the status of former slaves. Wasn’t intended to apply to illegal aliens, tourists, or foreign diplomats, yet has been interpreted to do exactly that. Given that all the former slaves are dead now, and their descendants are recognized as citizens, the 14th should be repealed.
19th (this one may get me in trouble). Men have to sign up to die for our country before we’re allowed to vote. Women aren’t. Nor are they required to do anything else before exercising the power of the franchise, and that which one gains too cheaply, one esteems too lightly. The passage of the 19th corresponds to a permanent upsurge in the growth of the size, power, and intrusiveness of the FedGov as politicians realized they could promise the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars to women, at men’s expense, and get elected in perpetuity. If we’re going to let women vote and hold public office then we should at least require that they fulfil their biological function in a socially-supportive manner first: votes for married mothers of two or more children by their husbands only. Single-moms, divorcees, and childless women need not apply.
So, why have taxation at all? If cryptocoin is a valid form of wealth, why not have State and Federal mines, powered by recycled naval reactors?
.
19th “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.”
The third in the holy trinity, with the two Kim cited, that “constitutionalized” the destruction of our heritage.
As a woman, I’ll happily give up my ‘right’ to vote if it means preventing all the other gullible females from doing so. I was appalled at how many otherwise seemingly intelligent women bought into the whole “vote with your lady parts” crap the other year. For a party that claims that the Republicans/Conservatives think that all women should be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen, they sure think the only part of us that is important is our reproductive organs. (And that only in the context of not reproducing.)
It’s amazing how many people look confused when you point out that if they are screeching about “reproductive rights” they need to be supporting infertility treatments too.
Please don’t vote with your “lady parts” It leaves the voting booth sticky and smelly.
That was my first thought, especially if it were one of the old lever machines.
And then I tried to imagine the gymnastics involved in any sort of voting using those parts.
And then I decided I needed a drink instead.
The one that’s missing which limits the terms a congress criminal can hold office. I really despise that one.
I’d also like to see an amendment restricting voting to those who pay income tax. If one has a negative tax bill at the end of the year (not a refund, but no taxes owed, and the gov’t is sending a check for more, except maybe for the child tax credit) one does not get to vote the following year.
I have no idea how it would be implemented, but it’s a nice pipe dream that only the people who pay for it can vote, however indirectly, on how it’s being spent.
I’d rather see the income tax, and all payroll taxes, abolished altogether. Fund the Feds with an import tariff and a national sales tax. The Left says consumerism is bad? Fine, tax it. You get less of what you tax and more of what you subsidize. So what do they want to tax? Income. Wealth generation. Job creation.
That works too.
Yeah but it would have to be a point of sale tax, separately identified. No VAT which hides the level of taxation. And if the income tax stays, no withholding. Payment in full of Tax Day which should be set at two weeks before election day, assuming we still have such a thing.
My only objection to term limits for elected officials is that they would hardly be there long enough to figure out how to work against the Deep State before they had to leave for another elected position. The Deep State would forever be in charge after such an amendment.
All you Americans need to do is repent of your rebellion and Her Maj will sort out all those pesky politicians for you sharpish. 🙂
I’m not hearing much good coming out of Old Blighty of late. Not sure trading our problems for theirs is any kind of improvement.
Our problems pale before what is consuming Blighty.
No Thanks, Old Chum!
God Save The Queen! (That is, as long as she stays on her damn side of The Pond.)
I have never quite understood the people that think the 17A is the root of all evil. First of all, many states already directly elected Senators before the 17A was passed (and were calling for an Article V convention to address the issue) and all would undoubtedly continue to do so if it were repealed. Second, if you think Congress is useless and dangerous, try hanging around some state capitols. I have and they are worse.
Both should be repealed, along with the 19th.
Since that whole parchment under glass is not about me I pretty much ignore it. I pretend I’m free more than most other people.
Amendment The Second:
I think the wording is clunky and ambiguous.
I think the inclusion of peripheral subjects dilutes the intent.
Re-writing the Second, I would go with something along the lines of:
* Paragraph One:
Any law, code, act, regulation, attempt to register, and/or other infringement nincompoopery on ownership, possession, transfer, or carrying of firearms and other weapons and/or their accompanying devices such as mufflers, sighting devices, and/or ammunition is illegal and can be safely ignored at the user’s discretion.
* Paragraph Two:
Any individual, company, corporation, or government agent advocating the violation of Paragraph One is a nincompoop, and should be sternly advised to ‘mind your own business’.