Incorporation of Rights and Privileges

There is currently a split between the various Federal Judicial Circuits on whether the 2nd Amendment applies to the States. Suprisingly, the 9th Circuit has stated that it does, while the 2nd Circuit has ruled that it does not.

Prospective Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has ruled that the 2nd Amendment does not apply to the States, and that States and localities can ban firearms at their whim, arousing the ire of firearms rights advocates.

Rather than having each right and privilege subject to judicial scrutiny, and being subject to overturn at political whim, I suggest that the Constitution be amended to incorporate language simiar to the following:

All rights and privileges enumerated by this Constitution shall be binding upon the United States, the District of Columbia, the States and Territories, and upon any subordinate creation thereof.

Composition of the US Senate

The Constitution currently provides for two Senators from each State, and has been amended such that the Senators are now subject to direct popular elections, as opposed to being elected by the Legislatures of the various States, which was the original design.

I have several problems wth the current setup.

First, I believe that the 17th Amendment should be repealed. Experience has shown that the Senate has become too far removed from the people. Money is now the controlling factor in these elections. All too often, Senatorial elections are being funded by out-of-state interest groups. I believe that having Senatorial vacancies filled by the Legislatures of the various States will bring the Senate closer to be people they are supposed to serve.

Second, I would like to see the representation in the Senate changed to three Senators from each State, with one seat up for re-appointment every two years.

Third, I would like to see Senatorial term limits imposed such that no person named to the Senate could serve more then three terms, with the proviso that a person who serves more than half of a term for which someone else was originally named, shall be limited to no more than two terms.

Introduction

I have always heard that we should amend the Constitution to say this, or that we should amend the Constitution to prohibit that.

Well, here is your big opportunity to put out for the world to see what changes you would really like to see.

I will be posting some of my ideas, but please feel free to drop me a note with your ideas, and I will put them out for discussion.