Motley Moose – Archive

Now is the time to wrap the formal text of the US Constitution.

Here were the first 3 parts of the series:

Preambe & NY Times article

Article 1, Article 2, & Article 3

Article 4 & Article 5

Let’s get right into it.

Starting with Article 6:

All Debts contracted and Engagements entered into, before the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

   This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any state to the Contrary notwithstanding.

   The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.

Would you change anything there?

How about the final article of the original Constitution.

Article 7:

The Ratification of the Conventions of nine States, shall be sufficient for the Establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the same.

done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independance of the United States of America the Twelfth In Witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names,

Go. Washington-Presidt.

There could be some interesting thoughts on this one too.

Before we get into the Amendments won’t you consider this.  I haven’t been able to find the actual text but from what I’ve heard Pennsylvania early in its history had a “4th branch” basically the people’s branch.  I think it might be a good idea.  How about something like this:

Constitutional Bistro Article:

Section 1.  The People having ultimate sovereignty shall have final authority over all bills passed by Congress and signed by the President; also have final authority over decisions from the Supreme Court.  The People shall have decision authority by popular national referendum.

Section 2.  In order for the referendum to appear on the ballot, The People will need to have petitions signed by 10% of registered voters in each state in the last general election prior to the year of enactment of the law or decision of the Supreme Court.

Section 3.  Non-budgetary laws passed by Congress shall be repealed immediately after the referendum receives at least 60% at election.

Budgetary laws passed by Congress shall be barred from appearing in the next budget passed by Congress or any other budgetary act after the referendum receives at least 60% of the vote at election.

All laws repealed by The People are barred from resubmission for 5 years.

Section 4.  Decisions by the Supreme Court shall be reversed immediately after referendum passes with 67% of the vote at election.

The Supreme Court is barred from reviewing decision again for 10 years.