# Think Tank > U.S. Constitution >  America Needs a Reset Button; Restore Default Settings (?)

## Stratovarious

Our Constitution has Been Trampled and distorted beyond recognition,
do we need a reset button for it?

_What if any changes , clarifications, would you make....
_

*Personal observation;*
An argument is made that we are in a different age, 
technology has changed our environment exponentially, 
we are entering/in a surveillance state, a dossier state, 
a state where thoughts and speech are considered crimes.
Our thoughts and political views have become reasons to 
refuse goods and services; 
food, shelter, banking etc,  every citizen is a suspect 
 before any crime has been committed of even 'planned' /
'envisioned'. 
Political Parties and govt bodies  have the ability to;
-Discredit anyone 
-Indict and incarcerate anyone
Merely by audio/video/social media monitoring and archiving
 of  everything we do and say 24/7, cradle to grave.

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## Suzanimal

> America Needs a Reset Button; Restore Default Settings (?)


Unplug it and plug it back in. If that doesn't work, kick it.

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## Chester Copperpot

Ive been saying this for years.... The Constitution needs a reboot

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## bv3

I'd clarify that the first ten amendments are, henceforth, un-amendable being, 
"designed to approach immortality as nearly as human institutions can approach it."
Also I'd like to see some criminal defense attorneys on the Supreme Court, and I'd have language that dilutes the unilateral power of that court to interpret legislation based upon expedience--applying strict or broad interpretations as is convenient for the purpose of the judges, because such a technique could never serve the purpose of a 'court'.

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## Stratovarious

> Unplug it and plug it back in. If that doesn't work, kick it.


I'm going to need a bigger boot.

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## Ender

> Our Constitution has Been Trampled and distorted beyond recognition,
> do we need a reset button for it?
> 
> _What if any changes , clarifications, would you make....
> _
> 
> *Personal observation;*
> An argument is made that we are in a different age, 
> technology has changed our environment exponentially, 
> ...


WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION.

The CONstitution was a Hamiltonian coup to install a strong central government- it has worked very well.

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## nikcers

KEEP CALM AND TRY TURNING IT OFF AND ON AGAIN

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## timosman



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## Superfluous Man

> Our Constitution has Been Trampled and distorted beyond recognition,
> do we need a reset button for it?
> 
> _What if any changes , clarifications, would you make....
> _
> 
> *Personal observation;*
> An argument is made that we are in a different age, 
> technology has changed our environment exponentially, 
> ...


So true.

Whenever I say that we should go back to the open-borders policies we had up until progressives started implementing their immigration restrictions around the beginning of the 20th century, people want to give me all this crap about how the world isn't like that any more, bla bla bla.

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## brushfire

Constitutional "sunset" amendment mandating a sunset clause on all law, with exception to the constitution itself.

Excluding the constitution, and its amendments, no law shall stand for a period greater than 5 years.   After which, the congress will have to re-pass any law that has expired.

The "reset" is baked in, and will keep congress critters occupied with passing laws that count.   It will also force elected officials to show their cards, while depleting excess political capital.   Maybe the expiration could be 10 years?   Regardless, there needs to be some turning of the soil, and these critters should be kept busy with important matters.  If they cant manage, then the government has become too big to manage - i.e. they're making too many laws.

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## Stratovarious

> Constitutional "sunset" amendment mandating a sunset clause on all law, with exception to the constitution itself.
> 
> Excluding the constitution, and its amendments, no law shall stand for a period greater than 5 years.   After which, the congress will have to re-pass any law that has expired.
> 
> The "reset" is baked in, and will keep congress critters occupied with passing laws that count.   It will also force elected officials to show their cards, while depleting excess political capital.   Maybe the expiration could be 10 years?   Regardless, there needs to be some turning of the soil, and these critters should be kept busy with important matters.  If they cant manage, then the government has become too big to manage - i.e. they're making too many laws.


Not a bad idea.
I also think we should explore a referendum for -------- well probably everything, 
a veto power  of the people if you will, the pres can veto things , we should 
be able to as well , particularly in todays environment where 
Congress is passing laws to hang us all for spitting.

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## Swordsmyth

> So true.
> 
> Whenever I say that we should go back to the open-borders policies we had up until progressives started implementing their immigration restrictions around the beginning of the 20th century, people want to give me all this crap about how the world isn't like that any more, bla bla bla.


It was bad policy back then and it had a lot to do with causing our current mess.

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## mt4rp

There is a reset button. It's located in the second sentence of the second paragraph within the Declaration of Independence. Should/if/When enough people find the courage to do what is suggested there, it would clean the slate, after which we could try the original idea again or create something even better.

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## Superfluous Man

> There is a reset button. It's located in the second sentence of the second paragraph within the Declaration of Independence. Should/if/When enough people find the courage to do what is suggested there, it would clean the slate, after which we could try the original idea again or create something even better.


So doing the same thing over and expecting different results?

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## PAF

> WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION.
> 
> The CONstitution was a Hamiltonian coup to install a strong central government- it has worked very well.



You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Ender again.

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## mt4rp

> So doing the same thing over and expecting different results?


Well my preference would be create something better, say a voluntaryist/anarchist self governing society

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## Superfluous Man

> Well my preference would be create something better, say a voluntaryist/anarchist self governing society


I agree with that.

I don't have high hopes for what would result from any violent overthrowing of a government though.

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## mt4rp

I don't have high hopes for what would result from any violent overthrowing of a government though.[/QUOTE]

And I agree with you. Having said that, without the consent (support) of the people government has no legitimacy to exist. Considering only around 56% of eligible voters did so.of which about half picked the president (63 million) Shouldn't we be asking ourselves why 44% of the people found not enough value in government that they wouldn't invest a couple of hours to pull a lever? What if it isn't because of apathy but out of disgust? Why doesn't this group (us non consenters) have a platform from which to be heard?

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## shakey1

How far we have strayed.

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## osan

> Our Constitution has Been Trampled and distorted beyond recognition,
> do we need a reset button for it?
> 
> _What if any changes , clarifications, would you make....
> _
> 
> *Personal observation;*
> An argument is made that we are in a different age, 
> technology has changed our environment exponentially, 
> ...


The WORLD needs a reset event.

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## Snowball

> How far we have strayed.


Oh, I would say about 10% of the way the Constutition allows us to, or less.

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## Swordsmyth

Here are some ideas to consider:

 _No branch of the government may create an agency or entity,  public or private, that is not expressly authorized and defined by the  Constitution._

_
No personnel, paid or unpaid, of the government, government  contractors or entities receiving direct or indirect funding from the  government may set foot on any foreign soil for the purposes of  hostilities or actions preparing for hostilities except as authorized by  a Declaration of War by Congress._



_No person or entity which has received funding, favors or  contracts from the government within the  previous 5 years is allowed to contribute to any elective office  campaign. 

_

_No government employee may accept a position in any private  entity that has accepted funding, favors or contracts from the  government in the previous 5 years for a period of 10 years after  leaving government office.

_

_Every agency and office of the government, and every entity or  person that has received funding, favors or contracts from the government, shall be independently audited every 4  years, and the results of these forensic audits are to be made public on  the day of their issuance. 

_

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## DamianTV

> I don't have high hopes for what would result from any violent overthrowing of a government though.


And I agree with you. Having said that, without the consent (support) of the people government has no legitimacy to exist. Considering only around 56% of eligible voters did so.of which about half picked the president (63 million) Shouldn't we be asking ourselves why 44% of the people found not enough value in government that they wouldn't invest a couple of hours to pull a lever? What if it isn't because of apathy but out of disgust? Why doesn't this group (us non consenters) have a platform from which to be heard?[/QUOTE]

Anarchy tends to work like a vacuum.  As soon as power is removed, it sucks someone new into power to grab the existing reigns.  Sometimes that means the replacement is worse than what was originally there.

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## mt4rp

Anarchy tends to work like a vacuum.  As soon as power is removed, it sucks someone new into power to grab the existing reigns.  Sometimes that means the replacement is worse than what was originally there.[/QUOTE]

This very well maybe  true, but this government long ago crossed my line in the sand so I'd prefer  to dance with a devil I don't know over the one I do.

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