A grab bag of ideas from Sabato and others.
-Mixed-member proportional representation for Congress. If changing away from single-member districts is too hard, then at least a nonpartisan blanket primary for every state.
-Electoral College abolished for a popular vote for President
-During Presidential Primaries, change the schedule of early primaries to a rotating schedule. Instead of early primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina being kingmakers, make 10 random states have primaries set to one date, another 10 another date, and each of the 10 rotates in how early/late they are scheduled, every presidential season. To qualify for the Presidential office, the party must abide to these guidelines, and the primary elections for each respective party must be STV (Single Transferable Vote).
-Independent, Federal Redistricting Commission/Court must approve any district which elects a federal member.
-Easier to amend Constitution. For proposing an amendment, must pass 66% of the Senate. Then it submitted to state legislators where it must also pass in 66% of the states.
For ratifying the amendment, 75% of the House of Representatives must pass.
-Federal Elections happens on a Federal Holiday
-Ban corporate funding of electoral campaigns, or at the very least, make them transparent to the exact donor. This is done by an explicit definition that "corporations are not natural persons".
-A very specific definition of "necessary and proper"
-A very specific definition of "interstate commerce".
-Change birthright citizenship in the 14th amendment to one based on jus sanguinis, at least one parent being a citizen.
-Military Courts are subjugated under Civilian Courts. Likewise federal contractors employed by the military are subject to Civilian Law
-4th amendment has an addition where "searches and seizures" requires the preservation of the suspect's life.
-5th amendment has a change to double jeopardy where "new evidence can be brought to bear during a retrial" for a case already decided.
-8th amendment: Change all forms of capital punishment that are not 1) inert gas asphyxiation 2) sedative (barbiturate, etc) overdose 3) "long drop" hanging and 4) firing squad to be "cruel and unusual"
-The senate filibuster cannot be used "on executive branch nominees and judicial nominees other than to the Supreme Court"
-Omnibus Appropriation Bills are banned. The regular twelve that are allowed can be reduced to six, but no less than that.
-Constitutional Amendment that "any amendment to a bill must deal with the substance of the bill under consideration". This could be changed in the Senate's procedures but it's better in law.
-Line Item Veto for the President, where congressmen are allowed to file one grievance per year to the Supreme Court, where they will delegate where the line-item veto interfered with the overall "integrity" of he bill.
-Balanced Budget Amendment. Something along the lines of, the state cannot run deficit that is more than 5% of last year's GDP
-Bricker Amendment which limits the treaty powers of the President
-Lengthen House of Representative Terms from 2 years to 3 years.
-Expand the Senate so the 10 most populous states get another 1 seat.
-Expand Supreme Court from 9 Justices to 12 Justices
-Employees of the Federal Government are barred from labor strikes or any sort of work stoppage.
-Public-sector collective bargaining negotiations must be made open public before agreement.
-Reform the Civil Service to help recruit, develop, and maintain public servants. The guidelines published by the Partnership for Public Service are great. If inspector general were given more authority, or their own agency that would be great.
-Mixed-member proportional representation for Congress. If changing away from single-member districts is too hard, then at least a nonpartisan blanket primary for every state.
-Electoral College abolished for a popular vote for President
-During Presidential Primaries, change the schedule of early primaries to a rotating schedule. Instead of early primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina being kingmakers, make 10 random states have primaries set to one date, another 10 another date, and each of the 10 rotates in how early/late they are scheduled, every presidential season. To qualify for the Presidential office, the party must abide to these guidelines, and the primary elections for each respective party must be STV (Single Transferable Vote).
-Independent, Federal Redistricting Commission/Court must approve any district which elects a federal member.
-Easier to amend Constitution. For proposing an amendment, must pass 66% of the Senate. Then it submitted to state legislators where it must also pass in 66% of the states.
For ratifying the amendment, 75% of the House of Representatives must pass.
-Federal Elections happens on a Federal Holiday
-Ban corporate funding of electoral campaigns, or at the very least, make them transparent to the exact donor. This is done by an explicit definition that "corporations are not natural persons".
-A very specific definition of "necessary and proper"
-A very specific definition of "interstate commerce".
-Change birthright citizenship in the 14th amendment to one based on jus sanguinis, at least one parent being a citizen.
-Military Courts are subjugated under Civilian Courts. Likewise federal contractors employed by the military are subject to Civilian Law
-4th amendment has an addition where "searches and seizures" requires the preservation of the suspect's life.
-5th amendment has a change to double jeopardy where "new evidence can be brought to bear during a retrial" for a case already decided.
-8th amendment: Change all forms of capital punishment that are not 1) inert gas asphyxiation 2) sedative (barbiturate, etc) overdose 3) "long drop" hanging and 4) firing squad to be "cruel and unusual"
-The senate filibuster cannot be used "on executive branch nominees and judicial nominees other than to the Supreme Court"
-Omnibus Appropriation Bills are banned. The regular twelve that are allowed can be reduced to six, but no less than that.
-Constitutional Amendment that "any amendment to a bill must deal with the substance of the bill under consideration". This could be changed in the Senate's procedures but it's better in law.
-Line Item Veto for the President, where congressmen are allowed to file one grievance per year to the Supreme Court, where they will delegate where the line-item veto interfered with the overall "integrity" of he bill.
-Balanced Budget Amendment. Something along the lines of, the state cannot run deficit that is more than 5% of last year's GDP
-Bricker Amendment which limits the treaty powers of the President
-Lengthen House of Representative Terms from 2 years to 3 years.
-Expand the Senate so the 10 most populous states get another 1 seat.
-Expand Supreme Court from 9 Justices to 12 Justices
-Employees of the Federal Government are barred from labor strikes or any sort of work stoppage.
-Public-sector collective bargaining negotiations must be made open public before agreement.
-Reform the Civil Service to help recruit, develop, and maintain public servants. The guidelines published by the Partnership for Public Service are great. If inspector general were given more authority, or their own agency that would be great.
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