Changing the Federal Constitution -The Document and Its Operation - 6-22-2010

 Before going about a constitutional convention, I want to put down a few points about piecemeal change to the Constitution. Excuse me for repeating myself.

Why bother with a piecemeal approach?

1. Getting a federal constitution convention is exceeded in unlikeliness only by a revolution.
2. We might get most of what we need to control the crisis.

Anyone not having read Paul Kennedy's The Decline of Great Powers should do so. Simplifying the book's thesis, great powers overspend themselves. Kennedy mustered table after table on how different spent their money. There is a cost to spending.

[Okay, I have no idea why this was in here, but it is a great book and much can be learned from reading it. My own reading was almost 2 decades after its publication. sch 12/18/22.]

Previously, I suggested borrowing from the state constitutions for the federal constitution. If Mr. Obama wants to change Washington, then he needs to change the Constitution:

1. Change to a two-year budget.
2. The titles of all bills must match their subject and vice versa.
3. Limit the terms for the Senate and House.
4. Proportional representation in the House.
5. Recall for the House and Senate.
6. Referenda for the budget and offensive wars.
7. Judges given 30 years on the bench in toto.

[Before anyone wonders, let me say that I have no idea why I thought a referendum on war was a good idea, that I am no longer sure how to manage a referendum on the budget, I already dropped proportional representation in the Senate, but otherwise I will stand for the remainder. I would put #5 lower in urgency. sch 12/18/22.]

I think 2 -6 posses the best chances for addressing the state/federal relationship. The others have more mechanical changes in mind that will lead to behavioral changes in Congress. 

I would like to see federal agencies shift from direct action within states when there is an overlap of state and federal interests to one of providing intelligence. Another example would be with the Department of Education determining what are the educational needs of the country and providing assistance, including information, to the states.

Politics does not seem a likely remedy. Too many entrenched interests - state politicians do not want to raise taxes to meet rising needs; federal legislators will not want to give up power and prestige.

sch

[This one should probably have been ignored, forgotten, as my 2022 self finds my 2010 self rather incoherent in this note. I did change the title, trying to make the title match closer to the post. Of the second list, I will stand with 1 -4 and 7, and also with the penultimate paragraph. sch 12/18/22.]