Introduction to the Uniting Amendment

The Uniting Amendment is a comprehensive Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which is being written by ordinary people right on this site.

A number of factors have lead the government to a point that is far from our common values of Freedom and Fairness. Our current crop of representatives has the lowest approval rating in history, and it's well-deserved. A combination of gerrymandered districts, government-controlled media, low citizen participation, and a general erosion of values has produced the most corrupt, insular, and incompetent menagerie that Washington has ever seen. And the country has endured two of the longest, most costly, graft-ridden and unnecessary wars in our country's history.

We no longer trust our representatives and we don't trust our government. The country needs to rebuild, but the folks currently running the show are not up to the task. So we're going to do it ourselves.

As part of a larger effort to rebuild the country, we're drafting an Amendment that will reestablish a government that is more fair, more free, and has the integrity and compassion needed to carry us forward. With input from just a few hundred people, we've already developed many fresh, innovative ideas that solve long-entrenched, difficult problems.

The current draft of the Amendment is based on the two common values that our nation has always had since its inception: Liberty and Justice. Everyone here believes in Freedom and Fairness (Liberty and Justice). If someone in the U.S. doesn't believe in Freedom and Fairness, they're living in the wrong country. Using those values as a guide, the Uniting Amendment will restore Integrity and Compassion to our government and provide a new foundation on which to rebuild our country.

The Amendment is written in a language that is more specific than that of the original Constitution, which means it's a longer document: nine pages, compared to the four pages of the original Constitution. This specificity is needed because of the abuses that have taken place throughout the years while interpreting the text of the Constitution. We've often heard the phrase "Living Document" when referring to the Constitution. The implication is that the interpretation of the Constitution can change over the years to accommodate changes in society. That sounds good in theory, but in practice, it means that our highest law is made by nine guys who are not even elected by the people. That's not democracy. That's not a republic. It's an oligarchy.

The Uniting Amendment corrects that by writing the law more specifically. But what happens as society changes? How can the law adapt? Getting an amendment ratified is a long, difficult process. Won't the specificity of the document lock us in? The Uniting Amendment establishes a Citizens' Jury to accomodate interpretations while providing an additional check against usurpation. The Citizens' Jury can veto any Jurists' opinions that infringe our rights or corrupt justice. Also, the Amendment makes it a little easier to amendment the Constitution, either by the original method or directly by the people, so any needed changes can be addressed while preserving our democracy.

The Amendment addresses corruption in Congress by implementing several provisions that: prevent bribes (aka. lobbying), make politicians more accountable to the people, and attract candidates to run for Congress who will have the country's best interests in mind rather than their own.

The current draft of the Amendment is composed of 23 sections:

Section 1 - Citizenship and Immigration

Section 2 - Suffrage

Section 3 - Taxes

Section 4 - Rights

Section 5 - Duties

Section 6 - Equity

Section 7 - Freedom to Worship

Section 8 - Commerce

Section 9 - Respect for Life and Nature

Section 10 - Powers

Section 11 - Representation

Section 12 - The Treasury and the Central Bank

Section 13 - Defense

Section 14 - Privacy

Section 15 - Legislative Procedure

Section 16 - Supreme Court

Section 17 - Statehood

Section 18 - Integrity

Section 19 - Basic Assistance

Section 20 - Census

Section 21 - Foreign Policy

Section 22 - Amendments and Referendums

Section 23 - Definitions

The sections should not be read or interpreted in isolation; they interrelate with each other and with the Constitution. The best way to understand the Amendment is to read it completely through. Even though it's kind of long, it takes less time to read than the time it takes to watch the sequel to "Dumb and Dumber". We're pretty sure it'll be a better use of your time.

Some of the specific provisions of the Amendment include:

• Establishes a simple tax system with an extremely low rate that provides more than enough revenue with no exemptions or deductions
• Ends poverty with a simple, single fund that provides basic assistance for everyone in need at less cost than what we pay now
• Strengthens Second Amendment rights while keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals
• Prevents discrimination with equal protection for all, irrespective of condition
• Solves the immigration issue: those who wish to become Citizens are elected by the people
• Forms a Citizens' Jury as a check on Supreme Court opinions to protect our rights and freedom
• Defines a set of responsibilities and duties for all people
• Recognizes the right to privacy and ends illegal government intrusions
• Provides protection for the environment and threatened species
• Protects the right of religious expression and prayer
• Establishes term limits and shorter terms
• Requires a balanced budget
• Limits Congressional power
• And much more...

The document is far from complete. It's still very rough, both in concept and execution, so after you've read it, please contribute your ideas to help make it better.