What would you strike from the Constitution?

[randolphfuller]

"All persons born in the United States are citizens of the United States" should come out.

 

[nobody's_hero]

commerce clause

Maybe put in there that states cannot levy tariffs on one another, which was the original intent of the commerce clause.

 

[Sola_Fide]

Originally posted by erowe1

Get rid of every amendment that has been ratified since the Civil War

This^^^

And there are still some people here who want a new amendment in this modern age....

 

[Expatriate]

Otherwise, I might have added "unanimous" to the beginning of "consent of the governed". Would certainly prevent the government from stretching outside of extremely basic functions.

Did you by any chance ever read The Probability Broach? That was a major part of the story in the alternate universe of the book.

 

[April1775]

Did you by any chance ever read The Probability Broach? That was a major part of the story in the alternate universe of the book.

Good to see a fan here. Added you as a friend. I LOVE that hard-boiled libertarian comic book. Folks can read all of it online here:
http://www.bigheadpress.com/tpbtgn

 

[Son of Detroit]

Good to see a fan here. Added you as a friend. I LOVE that hard-boiled libertarian comic book. Folks can read all of it online here:
http://www.bigheadpress.com/tpbtgn

That might be the most unfunny comic I have ever seen...

 

[April1775]

Well, that's sort of a non-funny history lesson in the middle of it. It's pretty funny overall. It's a book length comic.

 

[osan]

What would you strike from the Constitution / Bill of Rights / later amendments if you could do it by waving a wand?

And what would you add?

(If the "waving a wand" idea seems tyrannical somehow, lol...rephrase as "What would you suggest different in the Constitution if you'd been one of the Framers"?

I would strike every amendment after the 10th. They are extraneous and answer no questions that the first 10 do not address.

I would strike or at least rewrite the Commerce Clause. The role of the Senate would be to draft legislation. The role of the House would be to determine constitutionality. Enactment would come only through the legislatures of the states, 3/4 of them having to vote "yay" to enact. I would consider eliminating presidential veto. All legislation would have a yearly sunset and would have to be reinstated by verbal polling only. No written ballots, no electronics and a 3/4 majority for another year. This would obviate the vast and overwhelming majority of written law.

Each state would have to toe the line of the Constitution in all ways. For example, no state could in any way whatsoever enact legislation in violation of our Second Amendment RKBA. Every citizen fit for being free on the streets would be able to carry whatever weapons they pleased in what manner they pleased. Onus would rest with them to do so responsibly, but would be callable to account only a posterori.

I would make it a governmental crime of the first degree, punishable up to life in prison for enacting or enforcing any law of prior restraint.

Police forces would be dissolved nationwide. Sheriffs would have to do things the old fashioned way, including calling up posses when a job got too big for their department to handle. Any violation of human rights would be met with severe punishment. Not rehabilitation, but sheer, intolerant retribution.

All taxes would go the way of the dodo. Government would initially run on contributions, i.e. charity, or loans. They would be allowed to build investment funds that would grow in time, but never allowed to go beyond 1% of GDP or some other reasonable measure. This would keep them righteously small. These funds would be under the direct control of the states and not the feds.

The central bank would become history and I would draft the no-central-banking clause that would mandate the death penalty for all legislators voting for the establishment of such a bank.

Fiat money would be history as well. Precious commodities would comprise all money. I would be open to other systems, but their controllability would have to be proven apodictically.

I would cut the balls off of the court in terms of activism, particularly where they seek to reinforce morally bereft legislation that violates human rights.

I would have it that all political office holders, whether elected or appointed, would be required to waive large portions of their civil rights including those of privacy.

Any violation of the public trust would earn a minimum term of 1 year in a special prison for government criminals. A year in such a prison would be like fifty eternities in Hell. I would have politicians quaking in their boots with such violence that they would shit and piss on themselves daily for fear of trespassing upon the rights of those whom they serve.

Career politics as we know it would be eliminated. Every office would be held by a given person for no more than one term. If you run for sheriff, one term is all you get, but you could then run for mayor of a town. Perhaps you could then run in another town. Senate, House, one term only. No exceptions ever or for any reason, including "emergencies" and war.

I would cut the political balls off of all corporations. No contributions of any sort, hard or soft, could be made to any political candidate. Violation of this rule earns a minimum 10 year sentence, hard labor. No exceptions. I would have the large corporate boards quaking in their $5K suits at the thought of even appearing to violate this rule.

There's more, but perhaps this is enough.

 

[kah13176]

I'm surprised. I don't think anyone has mentioned the eminent domain clause in the 5th amendment.

Also, I'd add a "show me the victim" amendment, making any victimless "crime" legal.

 

[ssantoro]

repeal 16th amendment
repeal 17th amendment
define the commerce clause
outlaw fiat money forever

 

[heavenlyboy34]

didn't read the whole thread, but if it hasn't been mentioned yet-more nullification rights, all the way down to city and individual level. For example, I should be able to nullify tyrannical national, state, and city laws, and my local reps (city council, etc) should be able to nullify state and national laws.

 

[qh4dotcom]

Strike the general welfare clause, strike the eminent domain part of the 5th amendment.

Also I think the biggest reason for the mess this country is in is that there is no express prohibition for fiat paper money in the Constitution. "The congress shall have the power to coin money" and "no state shall make any thing except gold and silver as legal tender" is not enough, there has to be a paper money prohibition there.

Also remove the 16th and 17th amendment.

 

[malkusm]

Edit the First Amendment by striking everything after "law" and inserting a period.

New First Amendment: Congress shall make no law.

 

[Carson]

What would you strike from the Constitution?

It is the rules our government is suppose to operate under.

Answer: Those in the government that refuse to.

 

[Carson]

I'm surprised. I don't think anyone has mentioned the eminent domain clause in the 5th amendment.

Also, I'd add a "show me the victim" amendment, making any victimless "crime" legal.

Don't be in to much of a hurry with that eminent domain striking. Many times in the last few years has it occurred to me it could come in handy on restoring so much we have lost to criminal activity.

For one with the stroke of a pen we could regain control of the central bank. The vampires have sucked away at all that we own. We could regain possession.

There were other ideas for it but they slipped my mind now.



P.S. I mean really people!!!!! If we're going to print up our own fake money and loan it out shouldn't it be US that is collecting the interest on the loaning out of our OWN fake money. At least then even if we weren't paying the capital gains on the creation of it at least when everyone was getting their accounts credited with their share of the interest we would at LEAST be getting the income taxes paid!!!!!


And how about those capital gains?

 

[prmd142]

Any violation of human rights would be met with severe
punishment. Not rehabilitation, but
sheer, intolerant retribution.

+1776

 

[showpan]

The first thing I would change is the Supreme court. John DeWitt in his paper to Massachusetts, October 27, 1787 stated:

"You must also say, that your present Supreme Judicial Court shall be an Inferior Court to a Continental Court, which is to be inferior to the Supreme Court of the United States: -- that from an undue bias which they are supposed to have for the citizens of their own States, they shall not be competent to determine title to your real estate, disputes which may arise upon a protested Bill of Exchange, a simple note of hand, or book debt, wherein your citizens shall be unfortunately involved with disputes of such or any other kind, with citizens either of other States or foreign States: In all such cases they shall have a right to carry their causes to the Supreme Court of the United States, whether for delay only or vexation; however distant from the place of your abode, or inconsistent with your circumstances: -- That such appeals shall be extended to matters of fact as well as law, and a trial of the cause by jury you shall not have a right to insist upon. -- In short, my fellow-citizens, previous to a capacity of giving a compleat answer to these proceedings, you must determine that the Constitution of your Commonwealth, which is instructive, beautiful and consistent in practice, which has been justly admired in Europe, as a model of perfection, and which the present Convention have affected to imitate, a Constitution which is especially calculated for your territory, and is made conformable to your genius, your habits, the mode of holding your estates, and your particular interests, shall be reduced in its powers to those of a City Corporation: -- The skeleton of it may remain, but its vital principle shall be transferred to the new Government."


This man knew what would happen in a court so powerful and without jury, that this country would be reduced to one big corporate state.

 

[Deborah K]

dump:

eminent domain
16th amendment
14th amendment


add:

balanced budget amendment

 

[awake]

The "We" part would read "If you want to participate, here's the deal".

 

[nayjevin]

I'd add explicit definitions in dozens of different languages.