If You Could Change Your Govt. Constitution...

[Jacko]

What would be the one change you would make if you could change your country's constitution?

I would delete the 22nd amendment that limits our presidents to 2 four year terms......and then add a new amendment that allows for only one SIX year term. I think this would clear up a lot of the mess our second term presidents get us into and allow more time for the first term president to be effective.

IMO, The world is too complex these days to be as effective in 4 years as we need them to be.... and too dangerous to allow any one president the power of 8 years.....

[roni]

Originally Posted by Jacko

What would be the one change you would make if you could change your country's constitution?

I would delete the 22nd amendment that limits our presidents to 2 four year terms......and then add a new amendment that allows for only one SIX year term. I think this would clear up a lot of the mess our second term presidents get us into and allow more time for the first term president to be effective.

IMO, The world is too complex these days to be as effective in 4 years as we need them to be.... and too dangerous to allow any one president the power of 8 years.....

I would do away with term limits altogether and let voters decide when to term limit a president.

[sctx]

I'll expand Jacko's Six And Out to congresspersons as well....and screw their pension packages

[Seakony]

good morning all.

I ditto the above....and would change the amendment that any child born in the US must be of LEGAL immigrants to be a legal citizen.

[MikeW]

Originally Posted by Jacko

What would be the one change you would make if you could change your country's constitution?

I would delete the 22nd amendment that limits our presidents to 2 four year terms......and then add a new amendment that allows for only one SIX year term. I think this would clear up a lot of the mess our second term presidents get us into and allow more time for the first term president to be effective.

IMO, The world is too complex these days to be as effective in 4 years as we need them to be.... and too dangerous to allow any one president the power of 8 years.....

They could mess it up in their first term instead of their second, and they would have more time to mess it up. How about (4) 2-year terms?

[Just Lucky]

I am generally not in favor of tinkering with the Constitution. I do think we need to overhaul campign financing. I suspect that there could be first amendement challenges coming out of meaningful campaign financing reform. It is hard to know how the courts would interpret this prior to it being tested. If there were to be any changes in terms, I think an extra year for House members would likely be the only one I would consider.

[MWC]

I would mandate one two-year term of service to the country from each individual, upon their turning voting age. (Give them a five-year window of opportunity to begin doing so)
To serve in either the military, or some kind of non profit service. Education, medical, Peace Corps, etc.

I would put the entire election process (including campaign finance and the actual voting/tallying process) out of the hands of party-oriented officials. I would instead create federal entity (akin to the US Postal Service) to oversee elections.

I agree, term limits for members of Congress. But I wouldn't make it a life-time limit, just a consecutive limit.

[JudyBluEyes]

I would go back and pass ERA!!!

[birdman]

Originally Posted by MWC

I would mandate one two-year term of service to the country from each individual, upon their turning voting age. (Give them a five-year window of opportunity to begin doing so)
To serve in either the military, or some kind of non profit service. Education, medical, Peace Corps, etc.

I would put the entire election process (including campaign finance and the actual voting/tallying process) out of the hands of party-oriented officials. I would instead create federal entity (akin to the US Postal Service) to oversee elections.

I agree, term limits for members of Congress. But I wouldn't make it a life-time limit, just a consecutive limit.

Sounds good to me. Maybe you should run for office you make more sence than most of the folks in there now.

[Ginger]

Bah, we don't have those silly constitutions up here in the great white north...

[ryberg]

Having the general impression that limiting positions to just one term here in Mexico has only seemed to exacerbate corruption -- if you can't get re-elected, why not just grab what you can? -- I would not go for this option, I'm afraid. This maybe an exampe in support of the road to hell being paved with good intentions.

Without thinking about it much, I guess I'd probably look at how we could take measures to end the affirmative action-style structures that are built in to the Constitution for the benefit of less populated states (the structure of the Senate, the Electoral College), as we got into on the Congress & Immigration thread some time back. BUt maybe there's something better to do, I don't know...

Steve

[Dallas91]

I'd allow Dilbert to run for office.

[Jacko]

Originally Posted by MikeW

They could mess it up in their first term instead of their second, and they would have more time to mess it up. How about (4) 2-year terms?

They would be campaigning ALL the time then!

[Jacko]

Originally Posted by Just Lucky

I am generally not in favor of tinkering with the Constitution. I do think we need to overhaul campign financing. I suspect that there could be first amendement challenges coming out of meaningful campaign financing reform. It is hard to know how the courts would interpret this prior to it being tested. If there were to be any changes in terms, I think an extra year for House members would likely be the only one I would consider.

"Tinkering" with the Constitution brought us a lot of really great amendments don't you think?

[Jacko]

Originally Posted by MWC

I would mandate one two-year term of service to the country from each individual, upon their turning voting age. (Give them a five-year window of opportunity to begin doing so)
To serve in either the military, or some kind of non profit service. Education, medical, Peace Corps, etc.
I would put the entire election process (including campaign finance and the actual voting/tallying process) out of the hands of party-oriented officials. I would instead create federal entity (akin to the US Postal Service) to oversee elections.

I agree, term limits for members of Congress. But I wouldn't make it a life-time limit, just a consecutive limit.

Oh I like this one!