General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI would like to see a new law in this country.
A new law that limits a president's pardon ability to only cases that don't involve the president. And, that the pardon power can never be used to manipulate a person's testimony, whether that testimony involves the president or not. I think after Trump we need this.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,836 posts)Ohioboy
(3,243 posts)That would be a great legacy for Trump: we had to amend the Constitution because he was so abusive to it.
BannonsLiver
(16,448 posts)Its unlikely our constitution will ever be amended again. The bar was high even in times when division was particularly modest in the country. Completely impossible now given the polarized climate. I think it might be more likely at this point we all start shooting at each other than an amendment to the constitution happening.
BTW, your OP makes a lot of sense.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)FakeNoose
(32,748 posts)... it must be voted on in every state separately. Of the 50 states, 3/4 or 38 states must ratify, or vote yes for the amendment. If only 37 (or fewer) vote yes it doesn't become an amendment. As BannonsLiver says, it would be almost impossible to have any new amendments as long as the divisive partisan climate continues like it is now.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)shraby
(21,946 posts)They could also expand that to include anyone the president personally knows.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Violation of any of those would be cause in itself for removal from office.
Unfortunately, of course, the senate's Republican majority is conspiring with the WH and betraying congress's duty as a check on corruption.
Itm, all this is being worked on by house Democrats under the aegis of HR1, The For the People Act, a massive democracy reform package addressing voting rights, money in politics, redistricting, government transparency, and ethics. Senate Democrats, including Elizabeth Warren, have also developed bills, with some very strong provisions in some cases, so they can hit the ground running when we get a majority in 2021.
Plus, much of this has already been passed by Democratic legislatures and governors in a number of states, some things a long time ago. Liberals have a very different idea of how democracies should be run than conservatives. But then this is a liberal democracy, after all. Of course it suits us better and we're better suited to it.