Democracy Amendments
The following are drafts of constitutional amendments intended to democratize the U.S. Constitution. None of these are as of now endorsed by Move to Amend or the Campaign to Legalize Democracy. They, and others, remain under consideration as we develop model amendment language.
AMENDMENTS RELATING TO CORPORATE PERSONHOOD
Alternative A
This amendment affirms that constitutional rights extend only to human persons. Corporations, partnerships, and other organizational entities are not human persons and, therefore, are not entitled to constitutional protections
Alternative B
For the purposes of the Constitution, corporations are public, not private. The rights
enumerated in the Bill of Rights are the rights of humans beings, not corporations.
Alternative C
SECTION 1. The U.S. Constitution protects only the rights of living human beings.
SECTION 2. Corporations and other institutions granted the privilege to exist shall be subordinate to any and all laws enacted by citizens and their
elected governments.
SECTION 3. Corporations and other for-profit institutions are prohibited from attempting to influence the outcome of elections, legislation or government policy through the use of aggregate resources or by rewarding or repaying employees or directors to exert such influence.
SECTION 4. Congress shall have power to implement this article by appropriate legislation.
Alternative D
SECTION 1. The rights, responsibilities, and privileges granted to citizens of the United States as enumerated in this Constitution, its amendments, and extended through case law, are exclusively reserved for human beings.
SECTION 2. All non-living entities in the United States shall be subordinate to any and all laws enacted by the people and their elected governments.
SECTION 3. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
AMENDMENTS RELATING TO CAMPAIGN FINANCE & SPEECH
Alternative A
SECTION 1. For the purposes of providing all citizens, regardless of wealth, a more equal opportunity to influence elections, public policy and run for public office; of furthering the principle of “one person, one vote” and preserving a participatory and democratic republic; as well as the purpose of limiting corruption and the appearance of corruption, we the people declare the unlimited use of money to influence elections incompatible with the principle of equal protection established under the Fourteenth Amendment.
SECTION 2. The Congress shall have the power to set limits on contributions and expenditures made to influence the outcome of any federal election.
SECTION 3. Each state shall have the power to set limits on contributions and expenditures made to influence the outcome of elections in that state.
SECTION 4. The power of each state to set limits on contributions and expenditures shall extend to all elections in that state, including initiative and referendum elections, as well as the power to lower any federal limits for the election of members of Congress to represent the people of that state.
SECTION 5. Congress shall have power to implement and enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
Alternative B
Section 1. The sovereign right of the people to govern being essential to a free democracy, the First Amendment shall not be construed to limit the authority of Congress and the States to define, regulate, and restrict the spending and other activity of any corporation, limited liability entity, or other corporate entity created by state or federal law or the law of another nation.
Section 2. Nothing contained in this Article shall be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.
RIGHT TO VOTE AMENDMENT
introduced by Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., of Illinois:
Section 1. All citizens of the United States who are eighteen years of age or older shall have the right to vote in any public election held in the jurisdiction in which the citizen resides. The right to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States, any State, or any other public or private person or entity, except that the United States or any State may establish regulations narrowly tailored to produce efficient and honest elections.
Section 2. Each State shall administer public elections in the State in accordance with election performance standards established by the Congress. The Congress shall reconsider such election performance standards at least once every four years to determine if higher standards should be established to reflect improvements in methods and practices regarding the administration of elections.
Section 3. Each State shall provide any eligible voter the opportunity to register and vote on the day of any public election.
Section 4. The Congress shall have power to enforce and implement this article by appropriate legislation.'.
AMENDMENTS RELATING TO LOCAL DEMOCRACY
Alternative A
In providing for the general welfare, Acts of Congress are understood to establish a floor, not a ceiling, to actions by the States.
Alternative B
Municipalities organized pursuant to U.S. law may determine their local affairs and government, subject only to this constitution and to the constitutions of their respective states.
Alternative C
All municipalities are empowered to determine their local affairs and government, subject only to state statutes uniformly applicable to all municipalities and to this constitution and the constitutions of their respective states.
OTHER AMENDMENTS
National Initiative
http://www.ni4d.us/national_initiative
Direct Election of the President & Vice-President
http://www.therestofus.org/electoral_college/FAQs.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Every_Vote_Counts_Amendment
War Referendum Amendment
http://www.cusdi.org/ludlow-1938.htm
http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/479968/who_decides_about_war_what...
A More Perfect Constitution
See proposals re: Supreme Court, constitutional convention
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_More_Perfect_Constitution
