The Two Amendments

I have had a project in the back of my mind which I hope to hatch before too long.  I still consider myself a conservative despite the troubles I've faced in the Obama economy.  I strongly believe that only a growing economy brought on by limited taxation and fiscal discipline can tame our massive deficit and restore the kind of prosperity Americans are used to.  I voted for McCain in 2008 and despite my continued frustration with the Republican party, can not imagine a scenario in which I wouldn't vote out the President to ensure these policies were returned to in 2013.

Still, this outcome is not assured.  And after having seen one candidate after another rise and then fall
in the polls it occurs to me that a top-down solution, i.e. finding the perfect presidential candidate, may not ever be possible within the Republican circles.  I have my favorite, of course, but results from the first two primaries, Iowa and New Hampshire, don't inspire much confidence, that a compelling alternative will emerge to Gov. Romney.

Which is why I have been considering for awhile now an idea for a grassroots, bottom-up campaign, centered around the Tea Party, or a portion of the Tea Party, to reform America's politics and give Americans a greater and more direct say in government policy.

Specifically, I advocate the passage of two Amendments to United States Constitution that will turn our nation's current predicament around.  The first is a Reform of Congress.  This will include a life-time four term-limit for members of the House and giving states (and their consituents) the power to Recall U.S. Senators.  In addition, the Amendment would cap the pay of members of Congress' at $80,000 and Senators at $90,000. Congressional pensions would be terminated.  After leaving Congress, members would be constitutionally required to forfeit all pay to the Treasury in excess of this standard congressional salary for any lobbying they do of the Federal Government and to pay the going rate for all gifts received.  And Congress' Administrative costs (the amount they spend on themselves) would be capped as well at about 2/3rds what they are allowed today.  As a Constitutional Amendment this will go a long way towards giving us the citizen Congress we deserve.

The second amendment proposed would be a 10% cap on all income taxes levied by the Federal Government.  The cap could only be waved in war time, and even then in favor of a higher flat rate.
Congress would be required to pay the costs of all unfunded liabilities mandated by them so as to establish a genuine transparency in the total liabilities created by the Federal Government and allow states the right to spend their own taxes raised.  Congress would be granted the power to give the President, for a specified time and subject to review periodically, the authority to veto line-items in the Federal budget.

These two amendments would go a long way towards restoring the kind of balance in government policy long absent from our discourse.  But how to get Congress to propose them?  It doesn't get mentioned in our history books, however, there were several attempts made to amend the Constitution in response to excesses of the Federal Govermnent.  In each case, amendments proposed by the States for consideration by a Constitutional Convention came within a single state of becoming a reality.  Each time, however, fears that a New Convention could not be controlled caused the effort to fail.

In my next post, I will describe how this issue can be addressed and assure the amendments suggested get sent to the states for ratification.