Posted on 08/19/2011 9:12:24 PM PDT by US Navy Vet
Rick Perry has many ideas about how to change the American government's founding document. From ending lifetime tenure for federal judges to completely scrapping two whole amendments, the Constitution would see a major overhaul if the Texas governor and Republican presidential candidate had his druthers.
Perry laid out these proposed innovations to the founding document in his book, Fed Up! Our Fight to Save America from Washington. He has occasionally mentioned them on the campaign trail. Several of his ideas fall within the realm of mainstream conservative thinking today, but, as you will see, there are also a few surprises.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
In deed. I'm usually leery of ANYONE who wants to start 'tweaking" the Constitution be it Democrat OR Republican. The only real problem I have with it is that it is not being enforced as intended. It won't matter if it is changed any at all if it won't be enforced.
There's always that isn't it?!
He left one of the most importants one of all: Actually enforce the Constitution and deport all illegal aliens as the government is requited to do. He does that first and I will listen to the other ones he has proposed but not before. That will show me he is serius about our Constitution.
He might get Balanced Budget but not the rest. But the GOP would have to win big in 2012.
3. Scrap the federal income tax by repealing the Sixteenth Amendment.
The Sixteenth Amendment gives Congress the “power to lay and collect taxes on incomes.” It should be abolished immediately, Perry says.
4. End the direct election of senators by repealing the Seventeenth Amendment.
Overturning this amendment would restore the original language of the Constitution, which gave state legislators the power to appoint the members of the Senate.”
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These are fantastic ways to restore freedom and promote prosperity! I am really getting to like this guy.
Getting rid of the income tax would be a tremendous boost to the economy and return more power to the states and individuals.
By returning to the system in which state legislatures appoint senators, the legitimacy of state government would suddenly be enhanced. This would also divest power from the Federal Government and make state government more significant.
If you know that your state legislature is going to pick your senator, you will pay much more attention to who gets in there.
I do, too.
How does this comport with "2. Congress should have the power to override Supreme Court decisions with a two-thirds vote"?
Comments and details edited out by me. Visit the link if you want those. #2 is the most critical one. I would go with 3/4 not 2/3 but why quibble?
#7 - I know how strongly most of the FReepers feel about his issue, but I think it guarantees Obama another 4 years if it is Perry vs Obama. 4 more years of him choosing Supreme and federal court justices.
1. Abolish lifetime tenure for federal judges by amending Article III, Section I of the Constitution.
2. Congress should have the power to override Supreme Court decisions with a two-thirds vote.
3. Scrap the federal income tax by repealing the Sixteenth Amendment.
4. End the direct election of senators by repealing the Seventeenth Amendment.
5. Require the federal government to balance its budget every year.
6. The federal Constitution should define marriage as between one man and one woman in all 50 states.
7. Abortion should be made illegal throughout the country.
I agree with each and every one of them.
Numbers 5, probably yes, allowing for a very few exceptions;
Number 2, Being very careful how it is written (beware unintended consequences);
Number 6 and 7, No, these should (and are) the province of the states. IMHO, neither should ever be discussed on a federal level, and that means overturning Roe v. Wade!
With these ideas, I have no problem supporting him. But I would also like a bit of clarification on his stand on immigration, etc. Think he;d make a fine VP for Sarah!
I like 5,6,and 7 but the reason we have lifetime judgeships is so that they don’t have to worry about being thrown out for an unpopular decision.
I agree that something needs to be done to force judges to truly consider the constitution and not make up their own interpretations.
Maybe the legal definition of marriage ought to be looked at so NY, MA, NJ, IL can become cesspools while the rest of the country is normal.
I would figure a 3/4 majority, overwhelming, rather than a 66% majority.
Would major overhauls require a new charter for Congress? They rewrite the rules all the time, and there would have to be a way to put in writing to make sure things that will ensure efficiency and good intent stay put in the rules for as long as possible (because we all know all good things must come to an end some time).
>> However I like the part about marriage
The govt should stay out of the marriage business. There’s really no value in its involvement. Marriage is a function of religion.
Give me your best reason why govt should stick its nose in the private affairs of couples, and I guarantee I can dismiss it with a legitimate charge of statism.
>> cesspools
When citizens defer the sacrament of marriage to the authority of the state, they submit to it, not God.
I was never comfortable with Bush’s advancement of DOMA. It’s a lame measure that undermines the tenets of the practices it intended to protect.
Why the hell should I want a marriage license from the state?
I fully agree with you.
Both of your posts, 36 and 37.
My taxes are used to subsidize benefits packages for government “workers” and their families. If those “families” can now include hot tubs full of filthy sodomite “spouses” who are far more likely to need expensive AIDS medicines for years, then yeah, I want an amendment.
Let the citizens of states that go along with the radical homosexual agenda pay for their infected voting habits and leave other states alone.
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