What Amendments Does the Constitution Really Need?

After Cheney's entirely bogus last minute "change of residency" for the 00 election, perhaps we should strengthen the "at least one of whom shall not be an Inhabitant of the same State with themselves" language in Article II Section 1 .

The Presidential pardon wasn't intended to prevent all prosecution of criminals. Clarify Article II Section 2 to make it clear that the power to pardon and reprieve is limited to cases where conviction has already been obtained in a court of law.

Quack quack. If the Supreme Court won't establish rules requiring judges to recuse themselves in cases involving the appearance of a conflict of interest, an amendment should specify some rules.

Yes, Virginia, there IS a right to privacy, and darn tootin! we're gonna protect it. Ganja; sodomy, fellatio and cunnilingus; whatever you think I'm doing, why not just mind your own frickin business? My home, my castle, ya know ..

Alright already! It's really time to scrap the Electoral College.

Nothing could possibly be more important than preventing flag burning, so flags must be made of nonflammable material.

Stop war profiteering & limit war debt amendment: 100% tax on all business profits in time of war

Real equal rights amendment - no discrimination / no denial of equal protection on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ...

Christian property law amendment: The earth is the Lord's, so absolute ownership of land is abolished.

what would you replace it with? Do you remember when Clinton won in 92, he didn't get 50%+ of the votes. Would you suggest a simple majority? There are those who would demand a runoff. Do you really want to go through that????

I disagree with the electoral college too. I think it had a good purpose a long time ago, but TV and the internet has made the "candidates not able to get to rural areas" a mute point.

I just think we need to think about the unintended consequesces before making any demands.

... the disproportionate representation (# of Senators + # of Representatives) that favors the small states in Presidential Elections: the only thing that might be done is to specify how these are allocated.

I'd be happy with something like the following: each state's Electoral Votes are divided among the candidates in that state, in proportion to the total fraction of the popular vote each candidates receives; I would allow some fractional allocations (Mr X 3.5 votes etc); and I would incorporate a provision for successively eliminating candidates who got small numbers of votes until one candidate actually received a majority of the votes. The primary feature of this is that it abolishes the current "winner take all" schemes while keeping the problem of tallying votes in a state down at the state level. With proportionate distribution of electoral votes (rather than "winner take all" schemes), Gore would have won 00.

I would also extend free speech to privacy of speech and expand it to the Internet. I would expand the Fourth Amendment so that all search warrants would have to be public record; no going to a secret judge that is in government's pocket kind of bullshit. I would specify the death penalty as cruel punishment in the Eight Amendment.

I would add another amendment saying that people cannot sign away their rights. This way they can not be forced to give up their ability to sue in favor of one of those unofficial type judge thingys (I forgot what the actual term is).

Edit: Oh, I would also add an amendment so that house districts do not have to be confined to be inside one state.

An arbitration. If both parties are informed, then arbitration can be an efficient way to resolve disputes. The problem is most arb clauses in consumer contracts are in fine print on the back. Sometimes they are upheld, sometimes not. I don't think this is within the scope of a constitutional amendment though.

No person elected or appointed to a federal office shall engage in any fund-raising activity or employment of any kind while holding public office.

I regard this as an exclusive "personal service" contract (no conflict of interest or time), and it includes campaign appearances for self or others. Period.

selectivity they are imposed with.

For instance, if I stole $10 from my employer, I would be prosecuted, and possibly face jail time, (not to mention losing my job and being branded as a thief). But if a corporate executive steals millions, he/she goes free, often unprosecuted and barely despised.

The reality of the situation, is that so many who are in power can afford lawyers to get them off hook...poor people suffer the wrath of the 'law'.

Constitutional Amendments are not necessary...just an equality under the law, and an understanding that the Constitution IS a living document, and changes as we evolve, (or devolve) as a society.

.. spider webs for the rich and mighty, steel chains for the poor and weak, fishing nets in the hands of the government."
Pierre Joseph Proudhon