Constitional Amendment

I received the following from one of my readers.  She asked me to pass it on...so here it is.

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc.

Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure.

I'm asking each addressee to forward this Email to a minimum of twenty people on their Address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise.

In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.

Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution:
"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States ."

For far too long, Congress has passed laws that specifically exempt themselves from the effects of those laws.  ObamaCare is a prefect example.  I, being a good sport, decided that all of my state legislators, as well as my Congressman and US Senators should get this email as well...so I sent it to them.  Please feel free to cut and paste and send it to all of your friends, acquaintances, etc., as well.

UPDATE:  INSTALANCHE!!!!!  Thanks Glenn!

Here's my own take on a possible 28th amendment: I hereby propose the following as the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

1. No citizen of the United States shall be elected to the House of Representatives to more than four (4) consecutive, two (2) year terms to office.
2. No citizen of the United States shall be elected to the United States Senate for more than two (2) consecutive, six (6) year terms of office.
3. No citizen of the United States shall receive any retirement benefits from serving in either the United States House of Representatives or the United States Senate.
4. Congress shall not exempt itself from any laws of the United States of America, in whole or in part, nor shall any government agency, board, panel or appointed or elected group or person may exempt Congress, individually or collectively, from any law, regulation, policy or action which is applied to the citizens of the United States.
5. Congress shall be in session for a period of not less more than 90 60 consecutive days in the Spring, and 90 not more than 60 consecutive days in the Summer Fall of each year. Each sitting of Congress may be extended  once per session by the President for a period not to exceed 30 15 days. The Spring session shall start on the first Monday of March. The Summer Fall session shall begin on the first Monday in August. An additional 15 day session to begin on the 2nd Monday of November shall may be called by the President if so deemed necessary by declaration of a national emergency and voted so by a 2/3rds majority of the sitting Congress and may not be extended. session may not be extended unless a period of National Emergency is formally declared by the President. {This section I think is necessary to basically force Congress to actually work...in the past decade they generally only spend 2 1/2 days per week actually working in Washington, DC. Most often only from Tues afternoon to Thurs afternoon!}

UPDATE: 11-16-2010: I added the underlined part and changed it from 45 days to 15 to limit damage that a lame duck Congress could do...and on.

UPDATE: On Thanksgiving Day, I altered the the length of the sessions to 60 days, as I've come to the conclusion that having a "full-time" legislature, since that gives them far too much time to screw around with the country. Because, by having a full-time, year round legislative assembly, they ten to pass all sorts of crap that isn't necessary and merely becomes a way to spend/waste the people's money on useless and uncessary crap. Additionally, by mandating that a Fall session is to start in August, it would force Congress to actually work harder, as it limits the amount of time an incumbent would be able to actively campaign prior to each election day.

UPDATE:  It was pointed out to me in the comments below, that Section 5 should read "not more than 60 day" instead of "not less than".  My mistake, thanks for pointing it out.  Additionally, I inserted that the Prez may only extend each session once, for a 15 day period.

That was my original idea...though I'm not so sure that limiting the terms is the ideal solution.  The results of the last election would show that incumbents always win.  Though, what I'd rather see is each state redraw ALL their political districts geographically instead of politically.  It would force politicians to actually work harder as they wouldn't have "safe" seats, but would have to run in a far more balanced environment...though areas such as SanFran, CA would still be far, far left leaning. Limiting terms would have the collective effect of strengthening the congressional bureaucracy by making them more important because of simple longevity.  The "I know what I'm doing, Congressman..."attitude...

If you can possibly afford to do so, please hit the tip jar.  I and my wife, are among the millions of Americans who can only find part-time work...and it just doesn't pay the bills.

UPDATE 2:    From the comments, Steve White wrote:

Oh boy! Constitutional amendments! These are always fun, and they're surprisingly hard to write. I offer a few proposals.

My proposal for the 28th Amendment: (limits Kelo)

Private property shall not be taken by the United States, nor by the several states, for the express purpose of transfer to another private party.

My proposal for the 29th Amendment: (limits recess appointments and balances that by limiting filibusters of nominees)

• Section 1. No recess appointment shall be made by the President under section 2 of Article II unless the Congress shall have adjourned for at least thirty days.
• Section 2. When a nomination made by the President under section 2 of Article II, which shall require the advise and consent of the Senate, shall not have been rejected by the Senate within one hundred and twenty days of nomination, such consent shall be considered affirmed.

My proposal for the 30th Amendment: (read the damned bills!)

• Section 1. Each bill considered by the Congress shall be available for public inspection, by usual and ordinary means, for at least five days prior to any final vote of passage in either House.
• Section 2. Each bill passed by the Congress shall be available for public inspection, by usual and ordinary means, for at least five days prior to being signed into law by the President, except when war or national emergency shall require immediate signature.
• Section 3. Each bill passed by the Congress into law shall be limited to a single subject, which shall be expressed in its title.
• Section 4. Each bill passed by the Congress shall identify by name the Representative or Senator responsible as principal sponsor for each provision, appropriation, emolument, or encumbrance within said bill; and no provision, appropriation, emolument, or encumbrance shall be considered law unless so identified.

My proposal for the 31st Amendment: (prevents the courts from meddling in foreign and military affairs, prevents courts from using foreign precedents, and limits the use of the 14th amendment)

• Section 1. The judicial power of the United States shall not extend rights or privileges provided to citizens by this Constitution to foreign enemies of the United States who shall fall under the military jurisdiction of the United States in time of war or military conflict; except as shall be agreed to by the United States under international treaty on the conduct of war
• Section 2. The judicial power of the courts established under Article III of this Constitution shall not be guided by any precedent or opinion by any court or tribunal established outside the United States; unless the United States, by two-thirds affirmative vote of the Senate, shall seek such an opinion.
• Section 3. The fourteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States shall not be construed to provide a benefit or emolument to foreign nationals who are found to be residing illegally within the United States or its territories.

My proposal for the 32nd Amendment: (Congress can't order states to spend money)
Congress shall make no law that requires any State to appropriate funds originating from that state, nor may it require any State to enact a tax upon its own citizens.

Any other good ideas? (cleaned it up and replaced the lined out items in "my" version for clarity)