Proposals for Article 1 of the New US Constitution

[vcczar]

This article will pertain to the Legislative Branch. This phase is exclusively for proposals and not for debate. 

This is the current makeup of Article 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_One_of_the_United_States_Constitution

What changes do you advocate?

What do you want to keep?

Feel free to make as many proposals as you wish. It is best if the proposals can be made into one clear sentence. 

i.e. "I propose that we have a unicameral legislature." or "I propose term limits of two terms" or "I propose that US Reps have terms of 4 years" or "I propose that the Speaker not be a member of the legislature."  etc. 

You can list out multiple proposals rather than create a block of text. This is important because I can copy+paste a sentence into a poll. 

@Beetlejuice @Cal @Cenzonico @ConservativeElector2 @DakotaHale @Dobs @Edouard @Entrecampos @Fbarbarossa @Hestia @jnewt @JohnGRobertsJr @Kitten @Magnus Rex @Mishfox @MrPotatoTed @Patine @pilight @Pringles @Rezi @Rodja @Sean F Kennedy @The Blood @themiddlepolitical @Timur @vcczar @WVProgressive @YVDyTaOxlzZr @Zenobiyl @themiddlepolitical @jvikings1 @Wiw and anyone else.

 

[vcczar]

This won't be all my proposals: 

I propose the following: 

A unicameral legislature that handles the old functions of the House and Senate. 

A unicameral legislature that is proportional to state populations. 

The legislature will be the % of the state's population in relation to the national population x 10. 

Every state must have at least one legislator. 

Gerrymandering will be done by a non-partisan group, which will aim to use old Census districts which are non-partisan. 

The legislative branch will confirm presidential appointments. 

The legislative branch will confirm military actions. 

The legislative branch can override a veto by straight majority. 

The legislative branch passes legislation by straight majority. 

The legislative branch makes all confirmations by straight majority. 

More later. 

 

[vcczar]

6 minutes ago, Patine said:

Does this article cover actually ELECTING the members of this branch, or are elections, as a whole, in their own thread?

Anything pertaining to this branch, even elections.

[Pringles]

On my phone at work right now so I'll keep this short and simple.

I propose keeping everything the same except the following:

- An Independent Commission will handle all matters pertaining to districting and redistricting Congressional districts. It will continue to be done by population and updated census information of course.

[Beetlejuice]

I propose that we increase the size of the House of Representatives to 999 seats.  

Edited June 7, 2021 by Beetlejuice

[pilight]

Article 1, Section 2, part 1 will now read

The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several States; and the electors in each State shall be citizens of the United States, and have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature; but no person of foreign birth, not a citizen of the United States, shall be allowed to vote for any officer, civil or political, State or Federal.

The italicized portion is an addition to the current text.

This also requires a change to Section 4, part 1

The times, places, and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof, subject to the provisions of this Constitution; but the Congress may, at any time, by law, make or alter such regulations, except as to the times and places of choosing Senators.

[pilight]

Article 1, Section 7, part 2 shall have the following addition

The President may approve any appropriation and disapprove any other appropriation in the same bill. In such case he shall, in signing the bill, designate the appropriations disapproved; and shall return a copy of such appropriations, with his objections, to the House in which the bill shall have originated; and the same proceedings shall then be had as in case of other bills disapproved by the President.

[pilight]

Article 1 Section 8, Part 1 shall read

The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises for revenue, necessary to pay the debts, provide for the common defense, and carry on the Government of the United States; but no bounties shall be granted from the Treasury; nor shall any duties or taxes on importations from foreign nations be laid to promote or foster any branch of industry; and all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform throughout the Confederate States.

The italicized portion is an alteration

[pilight]

Article 1, Section 8, part 4 shall read

To establish uniform laws of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies, throughout the United States; but no law of Congress shall discharge any debt contracted before the passage of the same.

Edited June 7, 2021 by pilight

[vcczar]

@pilightit will be appreciated if you can type your changes into separate sentences as I requested. Also avoiding the legalese language will help with clarity. Let’s attempt plain English here. 

[pilight]

Fine

I propose...

Only citizens be allowed to vote

The president shall have a line item veto

Trade protectionism should be specifically banned

Congress should not be allowed to authorize the forgiveness of debts

Congress can only appropriate cash:

-in response to a specific request from the executive branch

-to pay for its own expenses

-to pay for the national debt and other financial "claims" against the national government

Congress may only issue money bills that cite an exact dollar amount, and cannot grant a penny more after such a bill is passed

Bills intended to have the force of law must relate only one subject and that subject must be accurately named in the bill's title

 

[WVProgressive]

I propose a bicameral legislature to take on the role of the current House of Representatives, and the Senate.

The lower house will be made up of 500 members. The members would be allocated proportionally to each states population as a percentage of the national population, with a minimum of one.

The lower house would be elected through MMP.

 A Representative must be at least 20 years old, must be an inhabitant of the state, and district in which he or she is elected, and must have been a citizen of the United States for the previous five years.

The upper house would be made up of two members of every state, as well as two members each to represent the major non governmental blocs within America (Unions, races, sexualities, companies, religions, NGOs, etc.)

The upper house would be elected from within the states/blocs they represent using a first past the post system, meaning the Arkansas Senator would be elected by Arkansians, and the AFL Senator would be elected by all registered members of the ALF

When a Senate seat is vacated, the vacating member's party will send the governor of the represented state a list of candidates, and the governor will then choose the replacement from that list. In the cases bloc seat vacancies, the choice of who fills the vacated seat is left up to the party of the vacating member. Replacement senators will hold the vacated seat until a special election can be held. A special election can not be held any later than 200 days after the seat is vacated.

Senators must be 25 years old, a natural born citizens of the United States, must be a resident of the state they are elected from, or a member of the bloc that they are elected to represent, and must have resided in the state for ten years prior to their being elected.

The legislature can override a Presidential veto only through a 66% majority of both houses of congress.

 

[Zenobiyl]

I propose that any organized incorporated territory must be given statehood within 20 years of reaching 20,000 inhabitants, or granted independence.

[vcczar]

4 minutes ago, Zenobiyl said:

I propose that any organized incorporated territory must be given statehood within 20 years of reaching 20,000 inhabitants, or granted independence.

Does this pertain to article 1?

[Zenobiyl]

12 minutes ago, vcczar said:

Does this pertain to article 1?

Congress is in charge of making states isn’t it?

[Mishfox]

Mandate that a set number of majority minority districts be made, to enfranchise underrepresented groups.

[vcczar]

I also propose that the VP is not president of a senate. The tie breaking office will not exist. 
 

if a senate exists, I propose that the Senate be at least somewhat proportional to the state populations. 
 

i propose that if a senate exists that the senator must have previously served as a US Rep or state rep. 

[MrPotatoTed]

3 hours ago, vcczar said:

 

Gerrymandering will be done by a non-partisan group, which will aim to use old Census districts which are non-partisan. 

 

Not a debate, just a point of order: "Gerrymandering" is the act of making ridiculous shaped districts to try to elect/re-elect politicians of a certain party.  I think the word you're looking for here is "Redistricting."  We don't want gerrymandering to be done by anybody at all.  We want redistricting to be done by a non-partisan group.

[MrPotatoTed]

I propose that Representatives must have at least a bachelor's degree (in any field).

I propose that Senators must have at least a Master's degree (in any field).

I propose that Presidents and Vice Presidents must have at least a Master's degree (in any field).

A Representative must have their primary residence within the district they represent, for a period of at least four years prior to become a Representative.

A Senator must have had their primary residence within the state they represent, for a period of at least six years prior to becoming Senator.

Presidential Impeachment proceedings may be initiated by any member of the House of Representatives (returning to how this was done up until the early 20th century).

 

[vcczar]

I'll give us a few more days for these proposals. 

[vcczar]

More proposals: 

In the event we have two houses of legislature, the lower body will be appointed via lottery of willing law abiding US citizens from the district. 

For all legislative elections, there will be two round voting. The first question will ask, "Should the incumbent be reelected." The second question will be, "Who do you prefer if the incumbent is not reelected." If the first question is majority "No," then the winner was question two becomes the new Legislator. 

US Reps will be for 4 years, renewable once. 

US Senators will be for 4 years, renewable once. 

One must have been part of the state legislature or a US Rep to be a US Senator. 

The minimum age to be a US Rep should be 30 and 40 for US Senator. 

The maximum age for a US Rep should be 60 and 70 for US Senator.

All vacancies for US Reps and US Senators will be filled by an acting officer by vote from their state legislature who will hold the position until that seat is up for election. 

The houses of legislature will elect their own officers. 

One member of the US House and one member of the US Senate in agreement is enough to call for an impeachment vote. 

A majority vote by both Houses of Congress is needed to move to an impeachment trial. 

The jury for an impeachment will not be the US Senators but will be composed of Associate Justices, retired former SC Justices, retired former presidents, retired former Attorney Generals, Chief Justices of the lower Federal Courts to create a jury of no less than 12. If insufficient, Federal Judges will be selected at random to compose the trial. The Chief Justice will preside over all impeachment trials. 

US Reps, US Senators, Presidents, and Governors will all serve 4-year terms to be elected in the same general election, which will be a National Holiday.

The Vice President will have no role with the US legislature. 

The US Congress will enjoy a schedule as that of many Americans. The Congress will meet five days a week and will enjoy no more than two weeks vacation at a time of their choosing. Absences are permitted for reasons of health, Congressional-related duties away from DC, bereavement or childbirth leave, and on national/religious holidays. A vote will take place to remove Congress people that neglect their duties.

Any congress person seeking higher office must first resign their incumbent office so that they can campaign without neglecting their duties.

All laws proposed must face a reading and a vote within one calendar year. 

To prevent walkouts, there will be no quorum rule. 

The filibuster is abolished.

US Reps will receive payment equal to the average individual income of a US Citizen. Officers will get that payment + a half more. US Senators will get double the payment for the same. 

US Congress persons will be ineligible for office and removed from office in the event of a felony or higher charge. In the event of a misdemeanor, the Congress may vote to remove a member. 

The US House will have sole power of proposing bills, spending or otherwise. The US Senate will have sole power of amending a bill that is proposed. 

The US President cannot veto a bill passed by Congress, which will then become law. The president may refuse to sign a bill as a symbolic veto, which will then prompt a vote to repeal the bill a year hence. 

Congress has the power to propose any law, excepting those that would be considered a violation of human rights, human decency, or would restrict the liberty of law-abiding US Citizens to vote. 

Congress shall have the powers to propose any law that a state legislature would propose for its own state in addition to laws only a federal government can handle. 

All laws passed by Congress are subject to referendum (voters can vote down a law) and initiative (voters can amend a law). 

Federal law overrides state laws, unless otherwise stated in the bill. 

Laws may include an exception clause and opt out clause if designed so by the proposer or amended so by the Senate.

 

 

 

 

[DakotaHale]

An addition that allows candidacy for all non-human primates (chimps, gibbons, gorillas, orangutans, etc.), as long as they understand and can communicate using basic sign language, dress appropriately, and conduct themselves in a decent manner while congress is in session. All NHPs that may be elected will be accompanied by a handler/translator.

On a more serious note, I would like to add that all trades of public equities (stocks, hedge funds, ETFs, etc.) of US companies must be publicly disclosed before the end of 20 stock market days or the senator faces a fine equal to 17.5% of the total trade amount. For foreign equities the fine is 30% of the trade amount. 

(If this is relatable to Article 1, this might be more of a law than an amendment I'm not sure)

[DakotaHale]

And just for fun, I want to add an amendment where if 90% of congress votes for it, the representative/senator in question receives the death penalty by firing squad on the spot.

And also random drug tests for members of congress (5% of congress people are chosen randomly each month), and are only allowed to test positive for drugs that are legal in their state/district, if they test positive for a drug that is illegal, they are removed from office.

Just a few fun amendments I thought up just now.

[WVProgressive]

I propose that we make explicit in the Constitution that no state may make a law barring a person from serving their country as a member of the federal legislature, due to their education level.

[DakotaHale]

5 minutes ago, WVProgressive said:

I propose that we make explicit in the Constitution that no state may make a law barring a person from serving their country as a member of the federal legislature, due to their education level.

Based and populist-pilled