What Constitutional changes should result from the trumpo "presidency"?

[phands]

It's clear that the aberration that is trumpo comes from some serious deficiencies in the US systems of governance and aspects of the constitution.

I suspect it's unlikely that much change will result from this current nightmare, but likelihood aside, what changes to the constitution or legal system would help prevent a repetition or worse?

I'd start with:-

• The ability to remove a sitting king president with a suitably constructed Vote of No Confidence mechanism such as the UK has.
• Remove the choice of SCOTUS (and perhaps other) judges from the president.
• Stop lifetime appointments to.... anything.
• Make Gerrymandering illegal.
• Forbid, or at least reveal more of, big money in politics, and completely expose lobbying money.

Others?

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Well, the first thing that needs to happen is to have publically funded elections and make it a crime for any elected politician to take any money whatsoever or participate in any fundraising activities. If you don't pass that first, then all the rest is irrelevant because the people who would need to pass those laws are bought and paid for special interest groups who will either block them or water them down into irrelevancy.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Something simple, such as underlining the role of the Electoral College, and maybe adding something like "No, really... take this role seriously."

 

[southernhybrid]

I don't think anything will change, but if it were up to me, I'd change the qualifications that it takes to run for president. I'd raise the age to 40, require either a law degree or a graduate degree in public administration or something similar, and require at least five years experience in a governmental position that includes a vast understanding of American law.

I saw a t-shirt recently that said, "Isn't it about time we stopped saying that anybody can be president"?

The problem is that many of these things require changing the constitution, which is close to impossible when you consider what it takes and when you consider how divided the country is these days. But, again if it were up to me, I'd have a term limit of 12 years for judges on SCOTUS, and also judges in other important federal positions. I might even consider an upper age limit for Congress and presidents. We've had Congress critters in their 90s. I'm sorry but as an older adult myself, that's too fucking old to be in office. Do something worthwhile if you're still functioning at that age. Do volunteer work or spend time with your younger family members. I'm sick of looking at our geriatric leaders. Yeah. I'm agist because I'm old, so I have that privilege. We could change the money into politics thing but I honestly don't think that's as big of a problem as we claim. There are plenty of people who have won elections without having raised the most money. But sure. It wouldn't hurt to get big money out of politics. Just don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen. But, we could prevent former Congress critters from becoming lobbyist. That's a real scam, and it's probably more damaging than just pouring money into elections.

I'd change a lot of other things too, but let's face it, none of this is ever going to happen. We are too divided to agree on much of anything.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

We are too divided to agree on much of anything.

No we're not!

 

[phands]

Something simple, such as underlining the role of the Electoral College, and maybe adding something like "No, really... take this role seriously."

Actually, I think the electoral college needs to go.

 

[Elixir]

1) Overturn Citizens United

That's not gonna happen, especially if Bullshittin' Brett gets a seat on SCOTUS. He will be so indebted to Cheato, there's no chance he'd do anything that could cut off funding from Russia.

2) Get the Rethuglicans out of power in the Senate and the House

Unlikely to occur in this midterm, barring even worse news for Rethuglicans - this will take an epic October Surprise, especially since it's a foregone conclusion that the 'Thugs have a good one up their sleeve already, plus all the Russian interference they could ever ask for.

3) Legislate the separation of powers. (The Founders did not foresee the level of corruption that currently exists in the WH) Make SCOTUS appointments subject to popular referendum, along with positions such as Attorneys General.

... I won't go on, since NOTHING is going to happen until #1, or at least #2 are in place.

 

[Keith&Co.]

We are too divided to agree on much of anything.

No we're not!

YOU'RE NOT PART OF WE,!!!!

 

[Keith&Co.]

Legislate a point when candidates MUST reveal their tax returns. Announcing candidacy, before primaries, after nomination, when added to the ballot of ten or more stat es, something.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Also, a constitutional amendment barring anyone with the last name of Trump from running for any office ever. Just to hammer the fucking point home.

 

[phands]

Also, a constitutional amendment barring anyone with the last name of Trump from running for any office ever. Just to hammer the fucking point home.

Excellent - first order of business. Better broaden it to Drumpf and variants as well.

 

[starwater]

Get rid of the electoral college

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Get rid of the electoral college

This. The electoral college was basically put in for a single reason - in the event that the unwashed masses put some kind of Trumpian figure into the Presidency, the rich elitists would be able to step in and say "Nuh-uh. You guys are fucking morons and we're saving you from yourselves". Then the one time the only fucking thing the electoral college was created for actually happens, the electoral college doesn't do its job.

It's clearly completely pointless and consigned to the ash heap of history.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Also, a constitutional amendment barring anyone with the last name of Trump from running for any office ever. Just to hammer the fucking point home.

We'll call it the Anyone But Trump Amendment, since he likes having his name on shit.

 

[Opoponax]

I don't think anything will change, but if it were up to me, I'd change the qualifications that it takes to run for president. I'd raise the age to 40, require either a law degree or a graduate degree in public administration or something similar, and require at least five years experience in a governmental position that includes a vast understanding of American law.

This^. A person needs at least a bachelor's degree and an internship before they'll get hired to the lowest level administrative position at a state university. The standard should be more than that for POTUS. I would also require prior election to some minimum-level office as well (e.g. state senator, mayor of a city with a population of 1,000,000+, etc.).

Disclosure of tax returns and all relevant financial dealings should be mandatory, as should divestment through a blind trust. These were already being done in good faith by prior POTUS candidates and subsequent winners, but it should now be made law.

 

[Elixir]

I don't think anything will change, but if it were up to me, I'd change the qualifications that it takes to run for president. I'd raise the age to 40, require either a law degree or a graduate degree in public administration or something similar, and require at least five years experience in a governmental position that includes a vast understanding of American law.

This^. A person needs at least a bachelor's degree and an internship before they'll get hired to the lowest level administrative position at a state university. The standard should be more than that for POTUS. I would also require prior election to some minimum-level office as well (e.g. state senator, mayor of a city with a population of 1,000,000+, etc.).

Disclosure of tax returns and all relevant financial dealings should be mandatory, as should divestment through a blind trust. These were already being done in good faith by prior POTUS candidates and subsequent winners, but it should now be made law.

Well, if we were to legislate against future presidents having any of the despicable defining traits of Fuckface von Clownstick, it would tie up Congress for a century.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

A new branch of government: Political investigations. Their only job is investigating politicians, those appointed by politicians and those who work for the politicians (staffers, election committees and the like), although they are not precluded from looking at those who get caught up in this net (suspected co-conspirators of someone they are allowed to investigate.)

Funding is set constitutionally at some tiny fraction of GNP. For the sake of illustration lets say it's $10 million. This is allocated by the number of people of each party elected, but this allocation is of money to be spent investigating that party, they have absolutely no say in this investigation.

House + Senate + White House = 537 seats. $10 budget = ~$18,600 per seat.

291 of these are Republican. Thus $5,412k is spent investigating Republicans, this is directed by the Democrats and Independents (but since the independents have only 2 of the 246 votes it's effectively by the Democrats.) $37k is spent investigating the independents, the remainder is spent investigating the Democrats.

This prevents the party in power from keeping itself from being investigated or sabotaging such an investigation.

The actual investigators have very high level security clearances and thus the ability to look at most classified data.

 

[Elixir]

A new branch of government: Political investigations. Their only job is investigating politicians, those appointed by politicians and those who work for the politicians (staffers, election committees and the like), although they are not precluded from looking at those who get caught up in this net (suspected co-conspirators of someone they are allowed to investigate.)

Funding is set constitutionally at some tiny fraction of GNP. For the sake of illustration lets say it's $10 million. This is allocated by the number of people of each party elected, but this allocation is of money to be spent investigating that party, they have absolutely no say in this investigation.

House + Senate + White House = 537 seats. $10 budget = ~$18,600 per seat.

291 of these are Republican. Thus $5,412k is spent investigating Republicans, this is directed by the Democrats and Independents (but since the independents have only 2 of the 246 votes it's effectively by the Democrats.) $37k is spent investigating the independents, the remainder is spent investigating the Democrats.

This prevents the party in power from keeping itself from being investigated or sabotaging such an investigation.

The actual investigators have very high level security clearances and thus the ability to look at most classified data.

Cool. Make Political Investigations part of The Space Force. When an elected official gets outa line, they can vaporize him with a blast from a space laser.
Seriously, what would limit its authority? Trump would take it over as his personal tool for the elimination of dissent, just as he has done with Congress, the DOJ and the Intelligence Community...

 

[Koyaanisqatsi]

I don't think anything will change, but if it were up to me, I'd change the qualifications that it takes to run for president. I'd raise the age to 40, require either a law degree or a graduate degree in public administration or something similar, and require at least five years experience in a governmental position that includes a vast understanding of American law.

ESTABLISHMENT!!!

Sorry. It's just such a stupid thing to say (calling something that functions a certain way and the people who become proficient at that function "establishment"), I couldn't resist. It's like pointing to scientists or professors or professionals and saying, "EXPERTS!" like that's a bad thing.

The one thing that definitely should be changed is getting rid of the Electoral College. It is already dead--castrated by the States--so there never has been a point to it. It's a federal election. It's never made any sense to me that my vote should count for 40,000 of your votes just because I live five feet away from you.

Yes, it was originally meant to blah blah blah, but, again, it was castrated already so it should be killed.

I can get behind term limits for SCOTUS, as well, as they too castrated their own mandate with just about every case Scalia ever presided over, but in particular Bush V. Gore. The second the majority stated that their ruling sets no precedent and only applies to that case and that's that is the second they destroyed the "S" out of SCOTUS.

ETA: We also need to completely eradicate all vestiges of the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act. That fucker circumvented the Constitution and is still firmly in place and needs to go along with everything that came as a result of it (the consolidation of all government power into the Oval and Pentagon).

 

[Harry Bosch]

Something simple, such as underlining the role of the Electoral College, and maybe adding something like "No, really... take this role seriously."

Actually, I think the electoral college needs to go.

Fuckin ditto! No more EC. Why should some guy in Montana have more power than I because I live in Washington? It's outrageous.

- - - Updated - - -

A new branch of government: Political investigations. Their only job is investigating politicians, those appointed by politicians and those who work for the politicians (staffers, election committees and the like), although they are not precluded from looking at those who get caught up in this net (suspected co-conspirators of someone they are allowed to investigate.)

Funding is set constitutionally at some tiny fraction of GNP. For the sake of illustration lets say it's $10 million. This is allocated by the number of people of each party elected, but this allocation is of money to be spent investigating that party, they have absolutely no say in this investigation.

House + Senate + White House = 537 seats. $10 budget = ~$18,600 per seat.

291 of these are Republican. Thus $5,412k is spent investigating Republicans, this is directed by the Democrats and Independents (but since the independents have only 2 of the 246 votes it's effectively by the Democrats.) $37k is spent investigating the independents, the remainder is spent investigating the Democrats.

This prevents the party in power from keeping itself from being investigated or sabotaging such an investigation.

The actual investigators have very high level security clearances and thus the ability to look at most classified data.

I have to offer a second "Fuckin Ditto"!