If you could amend the Constitution in one way...

[jayem]

what would be your priority? I know this has been discussed before. But times and situations change. Examples:

• Require a balanced federal budget.
• Eliminate the Electoral College.
• Define the unborn as "persons."
  
• Allow the President a line-item veto.
• Prohibit (or require) federal oversight in how states configure Congressional districts.
  
• Repeal birthright citizenship.

Or anything else. I would reverse Citizen's United. I would give Congress the power to regulate spending on Presidential elections. And give the states the same power regarding statewide elections. This would be permissive, not prescriptive. It wouldn't mean campaign financing must be controlled. But it could be, if there is the political will to do so.

 

[Armoured]

what would be your priority? I know this has been discussed before. But times and situations change. Examples:

• Require a balanced federal budget.
• Eliminate the Electoral College.
• Define the unborn as "persons."
  
• Allow the President a line-item veto.
• Prohibit (or require) federal oversight in how states configure Congressional districts.
  
• Repeal birthright citizenship.

Or anything else. I would reverse Citizen's United. I would give Congress the power to regulate spending on Presidential elections. And give the states the same power regarding statewide elections. This would be permissive, not prescriptive. It wouldn't mean campaign financing must be controlled. But it could be, if there is the political will to do so.

How about requiring would be voters to pass a basic general knowledge and current events test before being allowed to vote?

 

[super animator]

Amend the constitution to repel first past vote and replace it with alternative vote.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Amend the constitution to repel first past vote and replace it with alternative vote.

I'd be cool with that...it'd allow 3rd parties to make a stronger go of it because people could vote for who they really want without having to worry about the "spoiler effect".

 

[ThatRobGuy]

How about requiring would be voters to pass a basic general knowledge and current events test before being allowed to vote?

You could try that, but you'd likely be accused of racism in short order...

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I'd like to see an amendment that cracks down on gerrymandering.

I'd also like to see and amendment bringing about sensible campaign finance reform.

 

[Armoured]

You could try that, but you'd likely be accused of racism in short order...

It's more of a prejudice against wilful ignorance than racism, I'd have thought.

 

[keith99]

How about requiring would be voters to pass a basic general knowledge and current events test before being allowed to vote?

I like the idea but has seen past abuses. I'd want a must requalify every 10 years clause and a requirement that the state must publish and provide free of charge a pamphlet containing all the answers to the current tests sort of like the DMV pamphlets.

I'd also like some math problems. At least ones requiring long division but nothing harder than a quadratic equation. Again with exactly teh kind of problem spelled out so those lacking in education but not lacking motivation can learn to crank out the answers.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

It's more of a prejudice against wilful ignorance than racism, I'd have thought.

I would agree...but simply due to the educational makeup of our urban areas versus rural areas and suburbs, the side effect of that policy is that fewer Blacks and Hispanics would have the right to vote. Even with the purest intentions on something like that, the end result would be even more minority voter disenfranchisement and would thus be considered a "racist voting policy"

 

[Armoured]

I would agree...but simply due to the educational makeup of our urban areas versus rural areas and suburbs, the side effect of that policy is that fewer Blacks and Hispanics would have the right to vote. Even with the purest intentions on something like that, the end result would be even more minority voter disenfranchisement and would thus be considered a "racist voting policy"

Fair point. I'm sure it could be addressed. Voluntary pre-polling civics classes, maybe?

Oh, I also think you need to have your elections on weekends

 

[keith99]

It's more of a prejudice against wilful ignorance than racism, I'd have thought.

Thinking racism does fit with the history of such tests. That is why no grandfathering and required requalifying is needed. I've seen some tests where the wording is so twisted that guessing the correct official answer is well nigh impossible. Such tests were generally only given to negros and perhaps others who were apt to vote 'the wrong' way.

 

[Armoured]

I like the idea but has seen past abuses. I'd want a must requalify every 10 years clause and a requirement that the state must publish and provide free of charge a pamphlet containing all the answers to the current tests sort of like the DMV pamphlets.

I'd also like some math problems. At least ones requiring long division but nothing harder than a quadratic equation. Again with exactly teh kind of problem spelled out so those lacking in education but not lacking motivation can learn to crank out the answers.

I think it was Niven who once suggested everyone gets a vote for being alive, then you get another vote for every 5 IQ points above average as shown in a standard test on election day. Something like that, I think would be good. With something about current events and critical thinking, as well.

The exact model can always be tweaked, but I think having the vote of a well informed, intelligent person, with a good understanding of politics and critical thought, weigh the same as a conspiracy theorising, logical fallacy-driven, sub-omegaloid is a problem.

 

[Armoured]

Thinking racism does fit with the history of such tests. That is why no grandfathering and required requalifying is needed. I've seen some tests where the wording is so twisted that guessing the correct official answer is well nigh impossible. Such tests were generally only given to negros and perhaps others who were apt to vote 'the wrong' way.

Oh, I would only want something that applied to everyone and required frequent requalifying.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Congress and Senate term limits. Just like the President. Two term max.

 

[abysmul]

Term limits for ALL (100%) of federal employees.

edit: As in even for "jobs", not just elected officials.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I think it was Niven who once suggested everyone gets a vote for being alive, then you get another vote for every 5 IQ points above average as shown in a standard test on election day. Something like that, I think would be good.

I don't know if IQ is the right measurement for such a thing...I'd be okay with generalized test on government, laws, and politics in general...however, having a high IQ wouldn't automatically equate to having the best knowledge of politics and government.

Also, IQ scores have a direct correlation to level of educational attainment...which means that those whose parents could afford to send them to better schools and colleges are likely to score higher and will be more likely to receive a "passing grade" (whatever that level may be) for the hypothetical voter test.

Essentially, in the long term, such a measure would play right into the hands of a system where the more money your family has, the more political influence you'll have...by my estimation, we already have too much of that sort of thing going on right now in our country

 

[Armoured]

I don't know if IQ is the right measurement for such a thing...I'd be okay with generalized test on government, laws, and politics in general...however, having a high IQ wouldn't automatically equate to having the best knowledge of politics and government.

Also, IQ scores have a direct correlation to level of educational attainment...which means that those whose parents could afford to send them to better schools and colleges are likely to score higher and will be more likely to receive a "passing grade" (whatever that level may be) for the hypothetical voter test.

Essentially, in the long term, such a measure would play right into the hands of a system where the more money your family has, the more political influence you'll have...by my estimation, we already have too much of that sort of thing going on right now in our country

I did say:

"With something about current events and critical thinking, as well.

The exact model can always be tweaked, but I think having the vote of a well informed, intelligent person, with a good understanding of politics and critical thought, weigh the same as a conspiracy theorising, logical fallacy-driven, sub-omegaloid is a problem."

 

[Armoured]

Term limits for ALL (100%) of federal employees.

edit: As in even for "jobs", not just elected officials.

Hw does that work with senior positions that require experience?

 

[ThatRobGuy]

Congress and Senate term limits. Just like the President. Two term max.

4 years for the legislative body isn't long enough...unless you're also talking about increasing term length...

A large part of the congressional process is relationship building with other members of the house & senate...it's only once they've built up relationships with each other (knowing who to trust, who's on the same page) that they start getting things done...

Pushing the reset button on that could bring everything to a grinding halt...

Also, the cost of federal pensions goes up too...now, we have way more people getting added to the congressional pension plan every 4 years...

 

[Always in His Presence]

So give them 8 years same as the president and a pension that resemble the median income of their constituents.