If you could add ONE amendment to the U.S. Constitution, what would it be?

Question

Assume that your amendment would be automatically approved, but keep in mind that it would have to be interpreted by courts...so choose your language carefully!

Also, please explain WHY you choose what you choose. A response with a good explanation is much more likely to be chosen as the best answer.

If you are not a US citizen, you may give a suggestion for the U.S. Constitution or your own country, but I would prefer suggestions for the U.S. I am an American, after all :)

http://www.usconstitution.net/const.html

Answer 1

Repeal the income tax law and replace it with the FairTax proposition.

Answer 2

Repeal and replace the 14th Amendment. Section 1 of the 14th has three consecutive clauses that are vague and have been misused and abused by the Courts so much that it makes me want to stay away from the ballot box for the rest of my life.

Constitutional law ought to constitute a set of rules so that government (the level of government being commanded) can know what it can or cannot do. Constitutional law ought to "provide guidance and discipline for the legislature, which is entitled to know what kind of laws it may pass," and it ought to "mark the limit of [the Court's] authority." (From Romer v. Evans, 1996; morally correct rhetoric but completely hypocritical in reality.)

Declare that the 14th is repealed (we obviously don't need the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th sections of it any more) and is replaced with more clearly stated rules for the states to obey.

In place of the Privileges and Immunities Clause, say that states must obey all provisions of the Bill of Rights except for the 2nd, 7th, and 9th amendments, and the Grand Jury Clause of the 5th.

Clarify that the Due Process Clause means exactly what it literally says and that, as Alexander Hamilton once said, it can never be applied to an act of the legislature (or voters). The Clause guarantees fair, standard PROCEDURES, not laws which judges deem acceptable.

Clarify that the Equal Protection Clause means only one thing: RACIAL equality. Not gender, not sexual orientation, not aliens, not equality for persons born out of wedlock, etc., etc.

The Supreme Court has been at its worst when: 1) it steals Presidential elections, 2) it enforces "unenumerated rights," and 3) picks out "minorities" other than racial minorites for "heightened protection."

"The current state of equal protection and fundamental rights is a travesty. The Court has drifted between different [clauses of the 14th] in deriving these rights as if they were so many coat hooks for the Court to use which-ever one is convenient. The various standards set out by the Court for deriving these rights are so vague as to be virtually useless. ... [T]he Fourteenth Amendment remains a hodgepodge of underdeveloped ideas." -- Evan Gerstmann, "Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution," (2003) Cambridge University Press, pp 209-210.

Answer 3

that the constitution itself, be replaced every 200 years. Where in a new constitution must be written by, of and for the people. The reason behind this is I feel the only way to be truly free is if the constitution expires. also as society and languages change it will be necessary to update most terms.

Answer 4

WOW that is a great question. I would have to say my amendments would be to section 8.

Why you ask? There are too many reasons to divulge but I would say the most important would be to be able to share the countries views on war and our military rather than leave the outcome to just the government.

I support our military branches regardless of what they are told they are fighting for, they perform duties that are given with no questions asked. I feel strongly that we, the people, should have some say as to where and how we utilize that most powerful force.

Answer 5

I would like to repeal presidential powers. There are to many loose cannons now to allow a single idiot to have the power of preemptive attacks.

Most likely many people will choose Flag burning. But the law specifies burning as the proper way to dispose of worn or damaged flags.

How about no importing of items unless there is no American source for it?

Answer 6

Congress shall be required to pass a BALANCED budget every year.

No exceptions for war or disaster. If that happens you'll just have to find a way to create more revenue. If that means taxes, so be it, we're all in this sh!t together.

NC has that amendment in it's state constitution and it seems to work just fine.

Answer 7

I would take away voting rights for any citizen that does not pay taxes. Back when the country was founded, you had to own land to vote. I would not go that far, but if you are simply a leech on the system, you should not be allowed to vote yourself more blood.

Answer 8

I think the Bill of Rights should be extended to protect people from the actions of any large organization, not just governments.

Why? Because non-governmental organizations can be just as abusive, and create problems just as severe, as governments can.

Answer 9

The Constitution and Bill of Rights belong to individuals, not corporations, and that those elected vote on the behalf of those they were elected by!

Answer 10

I would add an amendment that stated that I was King of America, and that America's name be changed to Hyrule, and that all of the previous amendments are null and void.