The Next Constitutional Convention

Smellincoffee

Trekkie At Large
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Jun 29, 2003
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Let's say leading intellectual, political, and economic lights of your country decided the problems of the 21st century were just too much for the nation's legal canons and current political infrastructure. Amending may be impossible, or otherwise difficult; it's easier to build from the ground up. What form would it take? Your current constitution, slightly revised? For instance, I might want to make it clear that Congress may charter corporations, but such charters are subject to expiration and the entities constituted by them are not in any sense, persons or citizens of the republic who are owed rights of speech, or any right except those established in the charter. This would mean keeping the original Constitution, but stymieing the ability of court cases (Dartmouth v Woodward, Citizens United vs FEC, etc) to give corporations an overweening legal position. What personalities might you invite to help write a constitution? What challenges would it need to be prepared for -- would there be a place for the possibility of sentient computers?

If you are from a country with an 'unwritten' constitution, would you stay connected to that tradition or try to impose a new order?
 
My main concern would be to thoroughly strengthen democracy so that later on the people can easily change the system as they like without having to rely on the goodwill of the political class.

By making it easier for people to control the national government, or through greater decentralization? I'm very much in favor of the latter course. I believe the national, central governments put too much on their plates to be effective.
 
I am not thinking in terms of controlling the political class as much as I am thinking in terms of controlling the political system.
Basically, I want the people to at any given time have the option to change the constitution as they please. I don't want another constitutional convention setting the rules for the people but want this convention to permanently transfer constitutional power to the people.
 
I would invite type A personalities. Maybe a lot of ENTJs. No betas or omegas need apply. The meek can inherit after the bold.
 
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