Essay:Needed Constitutional Amendments (Wazza)

Congress Electoral Reform

Mostly, my feelings on the matter are that the US needs an electoral system to provide other parties with a way to enter the Senate and House. The most obvious electoral method for such an aim is Mixed Member Proportional, with Single Transferable Voting. This method allows people to vote for a more fringe candidate to represent their area, while still voting for a more centrist party so that they don't feel that they're just throwing their vote away.

Presidential Electoral Reform

Presidential elections need to be modified in some way, too, but this is a more difficult question given that the four-year electoral cycle is fixed and the election is of one man, rather than a party. Possibly the introduction of a more open election for Congress will allow other parties to field viable candidates, opening the race somewhat. That said, in New Zealand the introduction of MMP has not yet resulted in a Prime Minister from outside the two main parties. Possibly the answer is to bring the election of the president before the Congress, as representatives of the people, rather than to a direct or indirect popular vote, but this would be unsavoury to the American people.

Gun Rights

On the matter of other amendments, a clarification of the right to bear arms is vital. Personally, I feel that this should be restricted to what were the only real choices in the Founders' day, hunting long guns (yes, I know that pistols were also available, but the inaccurate, smoky single-shots available in the 18th century are a long way from current semiautomatics). Any weapon capable of being concealed should be restricted to law enforcement.

Freedom of Body

An amendment protecting peoples' right to do what they will with their body, possibly with an exception on medical grounds, would also be useful, since it would easily cover both abortions and various sexual practices without mentioning either.

Lawsuits

Speaking as someone from a far less litigious culture, a restriction on lawsuits seems sensible, but I understand that many Americans see them as a valuable tool of the people in place of actual government regulation.

See Also

• Needed Constitutional Amendments for other peoples' ideas.