A New Constitution
Contributed by Lela Ryterski
We need truth and justice. Our government was whittled away before Trump came on the scene. Corruption is rampant. Justice isn’t just. Rich people get off easy, poor people, especially of color, get harsh punishments. No one holds judges accountable. Money weighs more than people. Bribery is legal lobbying by big corporations makes the government beholden to them.
Democracy hasn’t been working. Trump is trashing the Constitution and the government. I say, “good.” It wasn’t working for “we the people.” How long would it take for us to get an amendment to get rid of the obsolete Electoral College? Or overturn the Supreme Court’s “Citizens United” which gives power to foreign money, special dark interests and corporations to sway our elections?
We need to create a new Constitution. It’s outdated. It’s 250 years old. It’s about time. I have suggestions:
No political parties. It’s obvious how Red vs. Blue is hurting us, creating mean-spirited opposition to whatever the other wants. We can’t function this way. This only leads to the “divided states of America.” What divides us is evil, what unites us is good. Think about it. I suggest we empower a Department of Elections which vets candidates. Let’s say ten candidates can make themselves known through a government-sponsored media—TV and radio stations. Rank Choice Voting can decide a popular winner. Limit campaign contributions and those should be public information.
The Senate isn’t democratic. Eliminate the two-senator system. How about any state with fewer than five million people gets one senator? Then every ten million more get another senator. Alaska would have one senator. California would have six. My argument is that people are more important than land mass. Do you think people in California would be concerned about the welfare of the states where they get their food? I think so. Why should the few people be getting more benefits than the many, which is what happens when the few have more representation?
The House of Representatives should also have more representatives so one person better knows the concerns of their constituents and can better represent them.
Curtail corruption in government: If an elected person is found taking a bribe, he/she should be fired immediately and never allowed to hold office again. A new election is held.
Congress should receive the same health care benefits as the rest of us. No lifetime salary. They are servants of the people, not royalty. Warren Buffet had good ideas about reforming the Senate.
The Supreme Court—not elected—needs term limits, and a code of conduct that must be adhered to or they get kicked off and replaced.
The Speaker of the House has too much power. Why can he/she withhold bills, so they never get discussed or have a chance to get passed? This needs to be addressed and changed.
Gerrymandering outlawed and districts drawn every ten years in the presence of residents to assure it’s just and correct.
Our education system needs to improve: teach equality and respect for everyone. We can look at the Japanese system to see how they produce a peaceful society. We need to teach all of American history so we can correct our wrongs and become better people. We have to learn how helping others benefits ourselves.
We all have God within us, which can be expressed in different ways. Freedom of religion is a biggie that needs to be in there along with separation of church and state. Moral issues pertaining to our bodies should not be addressed by the government, but by your family, friends, religious community, doctors, psychiatrists, etc. Leave your hands off my body, government! And stay out of my bedroom!
People shouldn’t be allowed to spout lies to the public. Civil debate needs to take preference to air out difference of opinions, like Joshua Fryfogle said. Be strong—have dialogue.
I’m sure there are more issues that can be written into our new-improved Constitution.
How can we make this happen? Elect a committee—9 to 12 people who you’d want to be on it. Rank Choice Voting would come up with the top 20. Then hold another election to come up with the 9-12 people. After a while, they produce a new Constitution which is presented to the populace for approval. Another election is held—yay or nay. If nay, people can weigh in on what they don’t like and the go back to the drawing board until one passes approval of the majority of the population of the United States of America—who vote.
(A note: if you don’t know who to vote for, don’t vote. Leave it to people who are paying attention and have an opinion.)
Thank you for this opportunity.