What I would like if for a "Constitution for the State Constitutional convention" one of the reasons that it has never been tried is that once it is unlocked there are no rules to keep it from going off the rails. I think having states assert their authority to rebalance Federal Power would be a good thing over a citizen process. But I am an old school small-r republican who is suspicious of that kind of thing.
I believe this kind of approach resembles a movement for "direct democracy" in the UK: where it's proposed that--side by side with Parliamentary legislators in the House of Commons & House of Lords--there should be more "Citizens Assemblies" with members based on "sortition" (random selection from the Electoral Register, to ensure representation of all interests) and professionally advised on legal and technical issues.
Switzerland has an effective referendum mechanism.
What I would like if for a "Constitution for the State Constitutional convention" one of the reasons that it has never been tried is that once it is unlocked there are no rules to keep it from going off the rails. I think having states assert their authority to rebalance Federal Power would be a good thing over a citizen process. But I am an old school small-r republican who is suspicious of that kind of thing.
We need to do this and form a resistance party to drive it. Juat like the Abolitionist Movement did. New constitution to include language for:
1. No corporate money to politicians.
2. Free healthcare
3. Free higher education
4. Fully funded retirement account
5. No military strikes anywhere without 66% of Congressional approval
6. No federal law enforcement agencies
7. Military spending limited to 1% of GDP
8. Mentions to and references to religion prohibited in government.
I believe this kind of approach resembles a movement for "direct democracy" in the UK: where it's proposed that--side by side with Parliamentary legislators in the House of Commons & House of Lords--there should be more "Citizens Assemblies" with members based on "sortition" (random selection from the Electoral Register, to ensure representation of all interests) and professionally advised on legal and technical issues.