Essay:Needed Constitutional Amendments (Human)

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This is my version. It's different, but writing these things is fun.

The United States Constitution, brilliant and thoughtful as it was for its time, is a bit outdated. The following amendments are desperately needed to update it for modern society, in my political opinion. As for using the sexist him/his/he, it's used as a pronoun for "everybody". Saying "she or he" just kills the eloquence.

Equal Rights[edit]

Men, women, furries, and those of indeterminate or unnamed gender, shall be considered as equals under any law passed by the Congress, or any of the Nation's constituent states or local jurisdictions, including unincorporated territories.

Right to privacy[edit]

No person shall, against his will, have personal information collected or distributed in any way without their express, advance consent, except such as relates to previous criminal behaviour.

Annulment of the Electoral College[edit]

The President and Vice President shall be chosen by the people through direct election by all eligible voters in the Nation. The official certified results, when accurately counted and forwarded by the several States shall be confirmed and certified by a joint session of the Senate and House of Representatives.

Instant Runoff Voting[edit]

All jurisdictions shall implement Instant Runoff Voting in any jurisdiction for any race in which more than two candidates present for the ballot. In the case where any write-in candidate receives more than one percent of the vote, IRV will automatically be invoked.

Clarification of Second Amendment[edit]

The right of the people to bear arms that must be loaded with separate powder, wadding, and ball via the barrel, and are ignited by a separate spark-making device, shall never be abridged in any way in any jurisdiction. Private ownership of cannon up to and including ten pounds throw weight shall also not be restricted, except inasmuch as said cannon may only be transported by the owner working alone. In similar manner, private ownership of sufficient powder and balls to get through at least one hunting season without starving shall be permitted. Such armed citizens will be required to assemble at beachheads and estuarial zones, properly armed and prepared, should the Nation find itself under attack by sea.

Or

The above rights shall also extend to single-fire weapons of .50 caliber bullets or 12 gauge shells loaded with shot or under, capable of chambering at most three rounds in succession.

Any firearm used in a crime will cause the accused's case to advance to the head of the docket, and the owner of said firearm, if not the accused, will be additionally be considered inferiorly culpable.

Or

Constitutions do not usually get down into details, but set out broad principles. A constitution would not normally set out the legal basis for owning dogs, computers, cryptography codes, nuclear weapons or teapots. Consequently version four says nothing whatsoever about guns.

Blank (Explanation and suggested language courtesy BobM)

Annulment of Corporate Personhood[edit]

Corporations, in that they are not human beings and as such may not be incarcerated for wrongdoing, or otherwise sensibly deprived of rights when they abrogate the laws of this or any other Nation, shall not enjoy the privileges of personhood such as: freedom of speech; freedom of assembly; and making political contributions. & cetera...

This amendment is intended to reverse decisions by the various Courts including: & cetera

Conditions for Impeachment[edit]

The President may be impeached should he commit a Felony or Misdemeanor, or should he utterly fail his duty to serve and protect the Nation, or should he demonstrate willful and repeated gross incompetence.

Impeachment may be initiated by a majority vote in the House of Representatives, or a seven out of nine vote in the Supreme Court, or by petition of 2/3 of the States' legislatures. In all cases the impeachment will be tried in the Senate.

Note: Impeachment is merely "indictment" - a formal accusation. This leads to a trial (in this case, as it already is, before the Senate), where the evidence must be presented, and a defense can be mounted. Two presidents have been "impeached" thus far, but neither were convicted. Another was facing a half dozen bills of impeachment in the House, and an emissary from the House, of his own party, dropped by the White House to explain the situation (that one would probably pass). He then resigned.

Enshrinement of the Courts' Powers[edit]

The Judiciary of the United States shall hereby be empowered to interpret the Constitution and lesser laws of this Nation as best they can. While remaining true to the letter of the Law, the Judiciary shall interpret such laws as challenged before them in court, and fit them as best to the times and intent. Any such Opinion of the Law shall be considered to have the full authority of the Law. Willful defiance of such Opinions shall be considered a violation of the Law and this Constitution.

Any Presidential acts knowingly and willfully in violation of such a Ruling, shall be considered as qualifying under the Articles of Impeachment.

It shall be the case that any Law in any jurisdiction may be challenged directly in an appeals Court of the appropriate level, without requiring that a crime first be charged under it. Such a Court of Appeal shall have under its discretion the right to hear or reject such challenges.

Executive Officers term length[edit]

The term of service following the election of the President and Vice President shall be from a minimum of two years to a maximum of six. Elections may be called by a 2/3 vote of the entire membership of either the House of Representatives or the Senate, or as a result of a bill passed by both houses and signed by the President, or upon petition by 3/4 of the State legislatures.