The 28th Amendment

C. Miller, a fellow conservative who corresponds with me on a fairly regular basis, sent out an email that is probably the most profound suggestion I have ever read since the day I perused the Jefferson and Adams letters.

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She suggests that the United States introduce and ratify a 28th Amendment to the Constitution, an amendment that would eliminate and make unconstitutional the instituted class structure that exists between American citizens and those who make our laws. Here is the proposed text:

"Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States."

On its surface the wording seems fairly straight forward, does it not? Those of you who have any understanding of how Congress thinks and functions will see that this simple compound sentence contains enough political dynamite to set off nearly every congressional special interest group like an atomic bomb. Marvelous! The two words, “apply equally” are the spines in this bit of political cactus. Since the days of the first meeting of Congress, those who write our laws and those who decide upon the meaning and interpretation of those laws have had within their ranks people who desire the trappings of Merry Olde England. It must be some sort of genetic memory. Within these people is a bit of tarnished DNA that drives them to believe that they are inherently better than those who elected them. Because of this they begin to act as if they are deserving of better treatment than the mass of peasantry outside the gates. To enforce this belief they exempt themselves from the laws they write to keep the rabble in check. Because a great many of those laws inhibit the creation of wealth, they have also written certain laws, rules and policies to ensure that they are well taken care of, even if driven from office. The rule that even a one-term Congressman is pensioned for life at their congressional salary is one example. Another and more egregious is that their new healthcare form does not apply to them. They are excluded from all provisions including the penalty for not buying into a government-approved health insurance plan. This amendment would serve multiple purposes. The first is that every single law that inconveniences anyone from what would be common sense; typically lawful behavior would probably be stricken from the federal books. Why? Because it would now apply to the folks in government, that’s why. I cannot see Congress allowing anyone to be exempt if they are, so any stricture, regardless of how obscure would be over all, no exceptions. The second is that we would most likely get a new class of politician. Our usual mix of cons, crooks, perverts and snake oil salesmen would be much less inclined to run. The reason being is that political office would no longer be a curtain to hide behind while they abuse our trust. In fact, the curtain would be replaced by a microscope. The reason? Read the text of the amendment again. Now only shall the law apply to them as well as any citizen, but that means the penalty for breaking that law as well. No more slaps on the wrist for doing what would send one of us to prison. Even though this proposed amendment is valid in the extreme, amending the constitution is no easy task. Let’s say this amendment is proposed before Congress. In order to get through Congress it must passed by a two-thirds majority of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It must then be ratified by three-fourths of the States to become effective. And this supposes that extreme measures are not imposed by those parties who have been enriched by the status quo. This page discusses the process and details the roadblocks that can be put up in order to stymie the people’s will. Because the Democrats currently hold a majority in all areas of our government, Congress, Senate, Executive, Judicial and quite possibly Military, this is going to be an extreme uphill battle…unless we do one thing: Vote every Democrat and moderate incumbent out of office in November, and in 2012, remove the Obama Administration from power.