It's time to amend the Constitution

[ck4829]

We need to change the powers of the Executive Branch.

How much power does the President truly wield?

How much power belongs to people who are not elected?

They want to change the Constitution to have the President be able to serve unlimited terms and let foreign people be President.

I say we need to change the Constitution to have the Executive Branch better serve the People.

I think the President should serve a 1 or 2 year term (take your pick) and face reelection or ouster at the end of this term.

[BlueEyedSon]

1. No, we just need to take the money out of all politics.

[ck4829]

3. Hey, this will sap the Right Wing

I can see it now, every year the 'christian' Right will have to campaign over and over again for Bush.

Eventually they will run out of resources and things to use Fear Mongering on.

[B Calm]

6. I agree! I'm sick of corporations picking who will run this country

into the ground!

[BlueEyedSon]

7. It's a question of who the country is run for the benefit of.

As far as the big money is concerned, right now the country is moving in the RIGHT (i.e. "correct") direction....

[punpirate]

2. The "American Dream" envisioned by the DLC...

... is the same one William Vanderbilt had in 1890. Vanderbilt is remembered for his remark, "The public be damned," when asked by a reporter whether railroads should be run for the public benefit.

Progressives didn't like his ideas much, then, either.

[mopaul]

4. obviously we can operate the nation without a president, so...

why even have one?

[Prism]

5. Blame Congress

They have routinely, unceasingly abdicated their constitutional duties, creating an executive (and judiciary) of a power and scope well beyond the Framers' wildest nightmares.

And why? To ensure they remain firmly ensconced in their seats of power and privilege. It seems these days, the less decisions Congress is forced to make, the happier the politicians are. Then they can't be blamed, one way or another.

Or so they think.

[H2O Man]

8. Better yet

we need to keep the Constitution exactly as it is, and follow it. You might really enjoy a classic book on this subject, by Arthur Schelsinger, Jr, caled "The Imperial Presidency." There has always been tension between the three branches of the federal government. There should be. Each one is supposed to be equal (not exact) to the other two .... and each is supposed to have its power checked by the combination of the other two.

By the Civil War, the executive branch began to claim powers that were not supposed to rest with the presidency. This has always been based on the concept of "emergency" powers to protect the nation from the threats posed by war.

In truth, both parties have done significant damage to the constitutionally mandated balance of powers. Democrats in the White House have done some severe damage ... including some of the best presidents we've had. However, the past four republican presidents have done more damage than all others combined.

After Nixon's attempts to have imperial reign, the courts and congress actually took a series of really important steps to put the executive branch in check, as a "co-equal." These steps were targeted by that group we call the neoconservatives, who believe in having an executive branch that overwhelms the two other branches -- although one could point to Clinton and accuse them of hypocrisy.

By having a congress that has prostituted the legislative branch, it has allowed the executive to take on a revolutionary power. This is against everything the constitution calls for. Hence, we do not need to change the constitution -- we need to understand it, and follow it.

[wli]

9. first, recall, second, criminalize separation of powers violations

Allowing referenda for recalling federal representatives and the president and judiciary should help some, assuming there's a way to start the referenda outside the federal government (state, maybe even lower level).

Criminalizing violations of the separation of powers would also help. If the president can be arrested by a D.C. cop on foot patrol for backing out of treaties without congressional approval, we're in good shape.

Of course, everything is foiled by Diebold.