The Twenty-Seventh Amendment

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

Those in Congress cant vote themselves a raise, or if they do it doesnt take effect till the next Congress.  This is good although these people get this salary for life, is this really what we want them to be able to do is to vote themselves a raise they will get forever really, I think not, fight the Congress.

The Perfect Political Cartoon

 Although Congress has yet to do so, which would be political suicide the members of Congress like I said have no worries about the effects of the economy on their "lifetime" pay.  Shouldnt we figure out a way to either prevent or stop this as it is draining the national coffers!!

A Stop Motion Video done by a Civics Student - Hilarious

  

 

The beginning of this video says it all in the fact that Congress decides itself what is fair for the job they perform.  They are using the government as a piggy bank for which to draw from.  Not only their salary but all of the travel expenses, food etc that they can use and abuse while in office.  Lets stop the ignorance and wake up!!

The Twenty-Sixth Amendment

The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

The United States upon the return of veterans of wars realize that these persons who volunteered and put their lives in harms way are not allowed to vote.  The United States chooses to further changes the rights of voting extending to those 18 years and older the right to do so.

A NewsWeek Cover about the Youth Vote

This is a NewsWeek cover from the 70's which shows the nation is concerned with the youth vote, not knowing how much knowledge the general public youth have about politics in general.  This was a disturbing time in the history of the United States with Vietnam being on the tip of everyones tongue.

 An Animated Video from a private party

 

GoAnimate.com: 26th Amendment by ESancen

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

In this video we can see how the background of the second scene shows how the media was a driving force behind the fact that this amendment was created.  Along with it we can see the last clip with President Obama referencing the fact that younger voters turned out in force.

The Twenty-Fifth Amendment

Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

Okay, here is the actual superseding of the President of the United States to include his removal from office by the Congress and Vice President if for any reason he is incapacitated.  This is very similar to the relieving of command by subordinates of a superior officer who is in conflict with mission or objectives. The most perfect example of this is when Regan was shot no one really knew who was in charge of the Presidents office, thus an particular set of rules and orders were put into place to prevent the vacancy of the Presidents office.

Realistic Movie about what Could Happen!!

 

 

This is the movie Dave in which a normal guy who looks like the President is employed as such due to the real president being incapacitated.  Although a normal civilian would never really be able to do this the idea that the government would use tactics like this is nothing new or to be underestimated.  The government uses look alike all the time for particular events and engagements without the public even knowing.

An Actual use of a Look Alike, although Funny actually possible

 

This is a hilarious example of how the president and a look alike are similar in action and mannerisms and can be used in lieu of the supercedance clause of the amendment.  Although this could be used to bar the president returning to office, especially if both the president and vice president are out of commission.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment - No restrictions to votes

The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

This is essentially the meat and potatoes of the Civil Rights Act of the 60's.  Several of the southern states were still charging poll taxes to African Americans for the purposes of voting in elections.  The twenty-fourth amendment abolished all forms of taxes and other forms of payment to vote.  Although this was something that the southern states implemented after giving African Americans the right to vote it effectively deterred people from voting until now.

Poll Tax Receipt 1895??  Why pay $2.50 to vote?

 Here we can see a receipt for poll taxes paid in the year 1895 in the amount of $2.50!! Although the section after the name is not filled out you can imagine that the person assessed was colored since this is from Birmingham, AL. one of the several Southern States to have a poll tax at the time.  This amount of money was phenomenal for the time, let alone to pay for voting rights.

 Crazy History Video by a couple of Kids!

 

Although really crude and in some instances rather pointless this is about how the 24th amendment played out!  The kids in the video are hilarious in the aspect of using the 1930's mask for the African American and the fact that homeless shelters are the voting issue of the candidates.  This might be a racist plug, but the stupidity of the rest of the video hides it, unless your really looking.

The Twenty-Third Amendment

The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:

A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

The twenty-third amendment sets to the electorate college a number of electors to the District of Columbia.  This amendment allows the District of Columbia to have a number of electors equal to the number of seats of the smallest state, but no more.  Currently this is Rhode Island, meaning if Rhode Island loses electors and another state gains said electors then the District of Columbia will be equal to that state.

Map of the Electoral College during Bush v. Gore
 

  This is a map of the electoral college for the election of President Bush versus that of Al Gore.  Here we can see all of the states and the number of electors that each state has to include the District of Columbia.

 

School House Rock Video - Electoral College

 

Yet another installment of the series School House Rock in which we learn how it is that the electoral college works.  Although the popular vote is influential in the vote of the college it is these votes and these alone that chose the President and Vice President of the United States.  It also lets us know that the population is what determines the number of electors in the college to which the vote is cast for the primary elections.

The Twenty-Second Amendment

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

The political machine at work against itself and the institution of term limits for President of the United States.  With a Republican congress in control against a Democratic President the idea of issuing term limits seemed to be a good idea for the nation to prevent the continued election of a particular individual.  This idea was nothing new as George Washington was thought to be the first person to be elected more than twice with several other Presidents to follow suit.  This particular amendment happened while the office of President was held by Franklin Roosevelt.  Following the terms of Truman the Republicans had their own in office, Eisenhower and wanted the amendment repealed...too bad!

Politically Funny Cartoon

 What we see here is a press release image of FDR saying that the constitution is cancelled on his election for a third term.  Although the Constitution never really spelled out the term limits for president we can see that some of the populace thought that the idea of greater than two terms to be excessive.  Although reading above you can see who the progenitors of that idea were.

Obama and the 22nd Amendment or Math Genius

 

This is both a poke at the president for not being that much of a mathematical genius, and the fact that in his speech during this interview he does allude to the fact that he is planning on a 8-10 year stint as president of the United States.  This is in direct violation of the 22nd Amendment unless he plans on trying to repeal said amendment.  Although this is something that could be attempted I doubt that with the current legal speak going into previous amendments that it wouldn't take effect until after his terms.

The Twentyfirst Amendment

The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Is there anything more that needs to be said??  The fact that America thought that we could become a better nation by outlawing the sale, consumption and manufacture of alcohol now realizes that it was a stupid idea and changes said law.  We know from my previous post that the prohibition of alcohol led to increased crime rates from organized crime as well as an increase in political corruption.

An Entire Brew Company Devoted to this Amendment!! 

 

www.21st-amendment.com

This entire company out of San Fransisco California is dedicated to the 21st amendment which repealed the 18th amendment to the constitution which banned alcohol in the United States.  This company is dedicated to reviving the "beer" culture of San Fransisco which on its website explains in the fact that prior to prohibition there were 40 breweries, where as now there are 8.  A great dive into the small business culture of the United States as well as a stab at American History which literally changed the face of social gathering in the 1920's!

 

Without Repeal We Could Never Have This Video!!

So, we repealed the 18th amendment and this is what we have to show for it, a bunk of drunks!!  Sure the overindulgence of the populace was one of the reasons for prohibition in the first place but is this what we really wanted??  Heck yes, cause without these people to show us the dangers of alcohol no one would ever really know!!