Tax Limitations Constitutional Amendment

Introduction:
The Tax Limitations Amendment to the Constitution was a proposed amendment during the 107th Congress.

Full Text:

Article--

SECTION 1. Any bill, resolution, or other legislative measure changing the internal revenue laws shall require for final adoption in each House the concurrence of two-thirds of the Members of that House voting and present, unless that bill, resolution, or other legislative measure is determined at the time of adoption, in a reasonable manner prescribed by law, not to increase the internal revenue by more than a de minimis amount. For the purposes of determining any increase in the internal revenue under this section, there shall be excluded any increase resulting from the lowering of an effective rate of any tax. On any vote for which the concurrence of two-thirds is required under this article, the yeas and nays of the Members of either House shall be entered on the Journal of that House.

SECTION 2. The Congress may waive the requirements of this article when a declaration of war is in effect. The Congress may also waive this article when the United States is engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and serious threat to national security and is so declared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the whole number of each House, which becomes law. Any increase in the internal revenue enacted under such a waiver shall be effective for not longer than two years.'.

Supporters:
200 members of the House. Including Dr. Ron Paul, Jim DeMint, etc

Rep. Eric Cantor [R-VA7] voted Aye.
Rep. Jim DeMint [R-SC4] voted Aye.
Rep. Dennis Kucinich [D-OH10] voted Nay.
Rep. Ronald Paul [R-TX14] voted Aye.

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the Tax Limitations Amendment - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:

The Real First Amendment

Introduction:
When our Founders envisioned the House of Representatives, they did not assume that the number of people represented by a representative would increase. During the first Congress, one representative represented 62,000 people. This was supposed to be a constant, and as such, the very first amendment of the Bill of Rights - also known as Article the First - was proposed. It would have one representative per 60,000 people. In a modern context, that increases the current 435 to 6200+. Too much you say? Well remember your representative, yes - your representative, has only a mere 700,000+ people he "represents" at present. No wonder you've never met him!

No taxation without representation!

Full Text:

Article the first... After the first enumeration required by the first article of the Constitution, there shall be one Representative for every thirty thousand, until the number shall amount to one hundred, after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall be not less than one hundred Representatives, nor less than one Representative for every forty thousand persons, until the number of Representatives shall amount to two hundred; after which the proportion shall be so regulated by Congress, that there shall not be less than two hundred Representatives, nor more than one Representative for every fifty thousand persons.

Supporters:
Patriots, the Founders.

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the Article the First - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:
http://www.thirty-thousand.org/

“...the House of Representatives will, within a single century, consist of more than six hundred members.”
— James Wilson, November 30, 1787
Delegate to the Convention of the State of Pennsylvania,
on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution.

Internet Freedom Amendment

Introduction:
The Internet Freedom Amendment is a 21st-century amendment guaranteeing the Bill of Rights & Constitution applies online.

Full Text:

No Specific text in mind

Supporters:
Unknown

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the Internet Freedom Amendment - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-penn/internet-freedom-amendment_b_830524.html

Birthright Citizenship Abolition Amendment

Introduction:
The Birthright Citizen Abolition Amendment is a possible solution to the dispute over the repeal of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution, which would end the most disputed part of the 14th.

Full Text:

SECTION 1. No person born in the United States after the date of the ratification of this article shall be a citizen of the United States, or of any State, on account of birth in the United States unless the mother or father of the person is a citizen of the United States, or is lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States, at the time of the birth.

SECTION 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Supporters:
Ron Paul

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the Birthright Citizenship Abolition Amendment - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:
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Bricker Amendment

Introduction:
The problem of international treaties superseding the U.S. Constitution and undermining the foundations of our Republic is not a new one. The conservative movement of the early 1950's, which looked on the United Nations with extreme suspicion, was particularly sensitive to this threat -- and they hit upon a solution: the Bricker Amendment.

Full Text:

• Section 1. No treaty of executive agreement shall be made respecting the rights of citizens of the United States protected by this Constitution or abridging or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
• Section 2. No treaty or executive agreement shall vest in any international organization or in any foreign power any of the legislative, executive, or judicial powers vested by this Constitution in the Congress, the President, and in the courts of the United States, respectively.
• Section 3. No treaty or executive agreement shall alter or abridge the laws of the United States or the Constitution of laws of the several unless, and then only to the extent that, Congress shall so provide by joint resolution.
• Section 4. Executive agreements shall not be made in lieu of treaties.
  • Executive agreements shall, if not sooner terminated, expire automatically one year after the end of the term of office for which the President making the agreement shall have been elected, but the Congress may, at the request of any President, extend for the duration of the term of such President the life of any such agreement made or extended during the next preceding Presidential term.
  • The President shall publish all executive agreements except that those which in his judgment require secrecy shall be submitted to appropriate committees of the Congress in lieu of publication.
• Section 5. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Supporters:
Most Conservatives, including Ron Paul since the 1970's.

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the Bricker Amendment - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:
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Victims' Rights Amendment

Introduction:
The Victims' Rights Amendment speaks for itself, and the fact it has the support of the top-dogs of both the GOP and (un)Democratic Party suggests it will pass within our lifetimes.

Full Text:

SECTION 1. The rights of victims of violent crime, being capable of protection without denying the constitutional rights of those accused of victimizing them, are hereby established and shall not be denied by any State or the United States and may be restricted only as provided in this article.

SECTION 2. A victim of violent crime shall have the right to reasonable and timely notice of any public proceeding involving the crime and of any release or escape of the accused; the rights not to be excluded from such public proceeding and reasonably to be heard at public release, plea, sentencing, reprieve, and pardon proceedings; and the right to adjudicative decisions that duly consider the victim's safety, interest in avoiding unreasonable delay, and just and timely claims to restitution from the offender. These rights shall not be restricted except when and to the degree dictated by a substantial interest in public safety or the administration of criminal justice, or by compelling necessity.

SECTION 3. Nothing in this article shall be construed to provide grounds for a new trial or to authorize any claim for damages. Only the victim or the victim's lawful representative may assert the rights established by this article, and no person accused of the crime may obtain any form of relief hereunder.

SECTION 4. Congress shall have power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this article. Nothing in this article shall affect the President's authority to grant reprieves or pardons.

SECTION 5. This article shall be inoperative unless it has been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within 7 years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress. This article shall take effect on the 180th day after the date of its ratification.

Supporters:
Bipartisan, including retired Sen John Kyl (R-AZ) & Senator Feinstein (D-CA) & President George W. Bush

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the Victims' Rights Amendment - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:
http://www.nvcap.org

Blaine Amendment

Introduction:
The Blaine Amendment stresses separation of church and state, including in respect to funding. Proposed by Senator & Republican Presidential Nominee, James G. Blaine.

Full Text:

No State shall make any law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; and no money raised by taxation in any State for the support of public schools, or derived from any public fund therefor, nor any public lands devoted thereto, shall ever be under the control of any religious sect; nor shall any money so raised or lands so devoted be divided between religious sects or denominations.

Supporters:
Unknown

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the Blaine Amendment - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:
http://www.blaineamendments.org/Intro/whatis.html

English Official Language Amendment

Introduction:
Declaring English as the official language of the United States.

Full Text:

SECTION 1. The English language shall be the official language of the United States. As the official language, the English language shall be used for all public acts including every order, resolution, vote, and election, and for all records and judicial proceedings of the Government of the United States and the governments of the several States.

SECTION 2. The Congress and the States shall enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Supporters:
Most of Congress

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the English Amendment - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:
www.proenglish.org

Environmental Protection & Social Responsibility Amendment

Introduction:
Calls for the amendment of: (1) the Constitution to subordinate the political rights of corporations to the rights of individuals; and (2) U.S. laws to include a public federal election campaign finance system, a social and environmental responsibility education initiative, and a new federal corporate charter statute to facilitate environmentally and socially responsible corporate practices.

Full Text:

Calling for an environmental and social responsibility amendment to the United States Constitution.

Whereas it has become settled law and Supreme Court precedent to regard corporations as the legal equivalent of individual persons, with many of the rights, liberties, and protections to which an individual person is entitled;

Whereas corporate persons, by virtue of their ability to create, allocate, and preserve wealth, have an advantage over individual persons in expressing political speech, including campaign contributions, and petitioning their government;

Whereas the United States, the Earth, and its inhabitants face significant dangers from environmentally destructive economic arrangements that derive short-term corporate profits at the expense of long-term, planetary damage;

Whereas the long-term prosperity of the United States and its people is interrelated and inextricable from the long-term sustainability of the Earth; and

Whereas civic, religious, and labor leaders in the United States believe an amendment to the Constitution is necessary to restore individual rights to their traditional supremacy over the rights of corporations and to ensure the long-term interests of the United States people and the world: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that, as articulated in the environmental and social responsibility amendment to the United States Constitution, the--

(1) Constitution of the United States should be amended to subordinate the political rights of corporations to the rights of individuals; and

(2) laws of the United States should be amended to include a public Federal election campaign finance system, a social and environmental responsibility education initiative, and a new Federal corporate charter statute to facilitate environmentally and socially responsible corporate practices.

Supporters:
Rep. Dennis Kucinich

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the Kucinich Amendment - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hr112-156

Madison Amendment

Introduction:
The Madison Amendment gives States the same power as Congress to propose an individual Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Full Text:

"ARTICLE ___. The Congress, on Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, which all contain an identical Amendment, shall call a Convention solely to decide whether to propose that specific Amendment to the States, which, if proposed shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified pursuant to Article V."

Supporters:
Rep. Walt Minnick (D,ID)
Rep. John Culberson (R,TX)
Rep. Rob Bishop (R, UT)
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D,TX)

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the Madison Amendment - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:
http://www.madisonamendment.org/

Repeal Amendment

Introduction:

Our Founding Fathers gave enumerated powers to the federal government and reserved most of the power to the states and the people. Today, the federal government has usurped the power that the Founders originally intended for the states and the people. The Repeal Amendment is dedicated to restoring our nation's liberty by advocating for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that restores the balance of power between the states and federal government.

Full Text:

"Any provision of law or regulation of the United States may be repealed by the several states, and such repeal shall be effective when the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states approve resolutions for this purpose that particularly describe the same provision or provisions of law or regulation to be repealed."

Supporters:
Eric Cantor, Judge Napolitano, others TBD

Personal Comments:
I unequivocally support the Repeal Amendment - Smart aka Reuven.

Links:
http://www.repealamendment.org
http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=12144