My proposal for the Second American Republic: - Multi-party proportional representation - Abolish or denude the Senate - Make the Supreme Court into a constitutional court with weak judicial review - Make the constitution easier to amend - Move from a presidential to parliamentary system
You get the first one with Ranked Choice Voting
I hate most of what you just said tbh
I agree in part. Making the Constitution easier to amend might make things worse (El Salvador’s unicameral assembly just made it possible for Bukele to be president for life). What would have been helpful from the get-go is language that could not be read more than one way by courts or anyone else.
And limit the wording of amendments to one page or less.
Eh. I think two-thirds majority in a system without the Senate would be a whole lot more realistic than our current system, BUT, I think the best happy-medium is probably a qualified majority. So like, 55%, 65% something about that. Difficult but achievable.
Also, America's diversity is a strength. Convincing a majority of Americans on anything is hard. One of the myths of America, is that if we were an actual, serious Republic, laws would be passed so easily and rights could be taken away easily. This myth undervalues how difficult Democracy is.
Consensus building around major changes in any society takes years. In one as diverse as ours? Even longer. Which is why our present system is so pernicious; it is effectively impossible to amend the constitution.
It’s a double-edged sword. Too easy and you have El Salvador. Too hard, and you can’t get the Equal Rights Act enshrined even after all the effort put into it. Amending the Constitution should be hard, but it should be possible, at least, and it should be wanted by most of the populace.
We have language that "could not be read more than one way" and the courts routinely ignore it all the time. Like, we have laws written in the 90s, with congressional intent on the record, and we can't even get courts to take that seriously.
RCV in national elections. That alone would end the duopoly and require more coalition-building among parties/candidates.
a supreme court with the same scope, but judges picked for one year of service within the various circuits, would solve a lot of issues. the problem is allowing jurists to develop a theory through a series of cases through decades, and amassing judicial power among just 5-6 judges.
Sounds a lot like New Zealand to me.
Strip the Constitution for parts and rewrite. No ambiguity for interpretation. No carve outs for slave owners. Every women, POC, LGBTQ+, race, sex, creed and religion receive the same inalienable rights Corporations, dark money and guns do NOT Our governing docs must be psychotic child proofed
I agree but first there is a hard reboot required
Since the First American Republic is dead, planning ahead for the next Republic makes excellent sense.
No elections. Randomized appointment to legislative and executive roles. Harsh penalties for corruption. Strong fairness doctrine recovering public ownership of radio/tv wavelengths.
Absolutely not! We the people have to consent to our government.
Random cannot be worse than what we got thru ‘the people choosing’
Don’t forget to add strong term limits for all elected officials, the dissolving of all major parties, banning PACs, Banning stock trading for all elected officials, and getting rid of lifetime benefits for their part time jobs.
Want to jump in to say that I agree that everyone left of MAGA should be having a conversation about how to amend or rewrite the Constitution. Not *if* we should amend, because we absolutely should.
My contribution: Supreme Court justices have strict term limits, after which they go back to being a normal judge. They aren’t allowed to work anywhere else after being a SCOTUS judge, they aren’t allowed “consulting” gigs, or speaking fees, or whatever. They go back to being a regular schlub.
And yeah, SCOTUS itself needs to be curtailed, but I think we do that by adding many more seats - maybe 15 or even 25 more seats, so that individual justices have less power.
I don’t fully know how to reform SCOTUS but I’m sure there are people out there who have studied how other democracies have handled the problems and can pull the best ideas from around the world.
Combine the Senate and House into one body. Representative numbers determined by population. Abolish the electoral College.
Unless you banish big money and lobbying in politics, none of these changes will make a difference or even last for more than a few years.
100% agree with that. Until you get big money & lobbyists out, it will be status quo. We have so many important issues to address , but this needs to be the first IMO or, we’ll never accomplish the rest.
Triple penalties for elected officials/judges/cops
Our democracy has failed. We need a new form of government to survive the next 250 years.
Very good start.
That is a great list, but in counting ‘Republics’ don’t forget the Articles of Confederation.
Based on similar structures in EU, not sure the results will be worth the upheaval. Only when a democratic government is in power: Update the number of SC judges to match the number of circuit judges plus 1 (we’d have 13), add more Representatives (I like the Wyoming Rule), and ratify the ERA.
#WyomingRule, #CubeRootRule… we’re not picky,’so long as we @uncapthehouse.bsky.social! ✌🏻😎🇺🇸 #hr4125
Very good. - Term limits for all federal elected offices - If you lose the Presidential election you can’t run again - Increase number of representatives proportional to population growth - Lower threshold for impeachment and removal eg 55% - Campaign spending cap
Include an increase of the Supreme Court to reflect the increase of the lower courts & the increased population.
Make a whole ass scientific oversight branch of the government with authority to veto leaders when they do stupid suicidal shit like deregulate fossil fuels
We definitely don’t need the senate walkin around butt naked
Plenty of good ideas for a new Constitutional Convention here. It’ll be interesting to see what forms of govt emerge from balkanization. I’d wager Texas & several southern states will lay claim to the “original” U.S. Constitution & govt to implement as they’ve always imagined it should be.
With any luck, others will apply 250 years of lessons learned to improve upon the original grand experiment.
That would be a good start...but much more is needed to form a decent country...unfortunately for you and the world, the US is a third-world country, no matter what its economy says otherwise.
2 questions: 1. What's the difference between SCOTUS and a constitutional court? 2. How does a weaker judicial review work?
Conjecture: any system that doesn’t account for and plan to limit the power of money will fail.
Yes. Now that we know better
Eliminate the electoral college in favor of the popular vote.
Statehood for DC and PR. Also, merge North and South Fuckoda. Pack the Supreme Court and for goodness sake get rid of the garish gold plating in the Oval and put back the Rose Garden.
With term limits on ALL political positions elected by the people. No more career politicians. And we abolish Citizens United, barring any similar measures from then on.
Yeah. This is good
Forget all that, and just start using term limits.
Seconded but add no trading on insider information.
Large republics have always fallen in history. I agree with you.
We need proposals. We must move from “This sucks” to For what future are we fighting? He wont go to prison without a fight. His minions will fall more easily. He is old with dementia, feeble and they are fighting for his right to grift.
I think that this where we will end up. The overhaul is inevitable. But we need to stay vigilant and engaged.
If you are going to follow the existing constitution to reform the new republic the senate must be equal representation per state. That said you certainly can change the function and purpose of the senate.
It is a decent start....please add public funding of elections and progressive taxation of income Thanks for stating your points!
Definitely progressive funding of taxation!
Not down w proportional representation; that still gives fascists a seat at the table. No fascists in democracy, deplatform the ones we got. Open primaries & ranked choice voting. Vote the person, not the party
No vetos. No pardons. It’s insane. No senate. Expanded house. 2.5 m person districts with ranked choice voting. So each district has 4-6 reps and you’d get a mix of parties. A dude wrote a book. Popular President, but greatly reduced federal power.
Not on board with all the points but on board with the direction.
Also, make all bosses and politicians elected and revokable at any time.
I'd keep the bicameral legislature, but with both chambers having proportional representation. The only major difference between the House and the Senate would be the length of the term.
Why?
I think there's value in having one chamber that is more responsive to the people, with more frequent elections, and one that is more insulated from fads, with less frequent ones.
But you need to eliminate protected seats and gerrymandering. Senators have to win the entire state. But senate seat allotment needs to be based on population as well.
I said "with both chambers having proportional representation"
In history the senate was always considered to be the institution of the elites. Those with the most wealth and education. It was designed to counter autocrats elected by a stupid and easily fooled citizenry. I’m all for public service requirements for political candidates and citizens.
Doesn’t seem like that has worked out in practice.
Correct. I’m for its abolishment. One chamber in Congress. But we have to eliminate the extremists and idiots. And frankly not every citizen has the right to vote if they are ignorant.
That's a horrible idea.
Seriously bro if you want to win and preserve democracy and enlightenment. Understand your fucking history.
Genius idea. It would eliminate most of the MAGA electorate. Our Founders were deeply concerned about an ignorant and easily fooled and manipulated citizenry. That’s why only landholders could vote.
Why do you think bicameralism has value? Especially as practiced? Seems the better systems have neutered their upper Houses to such an extent that they are just powerless historical artifacts that you'd never incorporate if starting from scratch / first principles.
But would you stay at 100 for the senate.
No absolutely not
Eliminate presidential pardons
Something, anything....can't continue like it is.
Money out of politics. Multiple debates required. Full financial and medical records required. Must be able to pass a criminal background check.
I've a more simple approach Set U.S. nation-statism and the bourgeoisie anti-democratic constitution it relies upon on fire and don't set another state regime upon its ashes. The more straightforward way to dealing with fascism isn't to retool a colonialist state but ending it entirely.
i’d add public financing for all elections or at least extremely strict campaign spending rules and an fec with the teeth to enforce them. we gotta oligarch-proof our electoral system as much as possible or we end up back here
I’ll add one, Take the justice department and judicial nomination process away from the executive. As in set up an independent judicial confirmation Commission where scholars, former judges, lawyers, professors, come together and choose/remove judges. Non partisan. Firing Clarence, that stuff.
Mimic Scandinavian government, they seem to have it figured out.
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I don’t want to see any of those Senators naked
- No vague language. Eliminate the need for judicial interpretation. - Lobbying has to be excised entirely, with no exceptions. - Outlaw secondary income streams for all elected officials. - Congressional salaries set at minimum wage. - Strip protections and "rights" from corporations.
Would you like fries with that?
Not going to help. Signed people who have lived under these parameters. Look at the role of the media and try again.
It cant be any more FUCKED up than it is right now. I would have just suggested an adherence to the laws currently in the Constitutin and give those laws Teeth. Make sure there is no such thing as a lifetime appointment and all Appointees must swear the oath to the Constitution and actually keep it
Make Congressional terms three years instead of 2. House members limited to four three-year terms, senators to two six-year terms, and the president to one six-year term. Eliminate winner-take-all aspect of electoral college to better reflect will of the people.
Definitely something to consider.
Correct
Get any two of these options done well and properly, and in 5 years we’d be a (relatively stable) democracy again. Do all of these at once, and given the wealth inequality in this country, we’d just end up back at square one — or worse
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With ranked choice voting, abolish the electoral college, and max campaign donations from any individual or corporation is limited to $20k a la Australia.
I’m sorry, but America II is gonna be a fascist fucking takeover never mind a republic
Compulsory voting
Max, the Second American Republic was Reconstruction. We are probably at the birth of the 4th
Happy to periodize it however yall want
In that case, let’s make it the 69th American Republic. Should turn out real nice. 👍🏼
Ethics standards with *teeth*. Taking federal legislative, judicial rile requires divesting from all stocks and all finances to go into a blind trust. Term limits. No more lifetime appointments for anything. Publicly financed elections.
-ranked choice voting -campaign finance reform, ditch Citizens United obvs -separate head of state and head of government -former elected officials may not work as lobbyists for 7 years after leaving office -mandatory retirement age for elected officials (77, maybe?)
You’ve got my vote
There's something to be said for the stability of a presidential system, but we definitely need a new constitution with much better guardrails. With the Supreme Court: I kind of like how France has 3 different high courts, each with jurisdiction over different matters.
You can have a stable parliamentary system if the party system is not too fragmented and stable. Look at Germany.
The most important change is to decrease the number of veto points
The Marshall Plan involved setting up zero governments like our own for a reason.
Those are all good ideas, but I have a question: As someone from the Pacific Northwest, why would I EVER want to be in the same country with Texas and/or Florida ever again?
There will be only one remote control. We release a new one every 7 years.
It wouldn't solve all our problems but would definitely be an improvement.
America has been compromised, massive patches are needed.
All excellent ideas, how many of the turkeys are going to vote for that Christmas present?
The president should be replaced with an executive council & I'd rather have term limits of 6 to 8 years for SCOTUS. I'm not sure making the constitution easier to amend is an improvement. The biggest change we can make is to finish the revolution & abolish the labor market.
Abolish the presidency, too much power for one person An Executive Triumvirate, one elected for a 6 year term every 2 years along with the house Also one more senator for every state, so one can be up every 2 years as well and expand the court, at least one justice from every state
We can probably take the constitution of one of the many democracies that were inspired by ours but saw the inherent flaws we couldn't fix because of partisan politics.
Sounds like you want to copy England, sans monarch?
We also need a clearer tax code total judicial and penal reform healthcare and food equality.
I’m not sure I’d want it easier to amend the constitution !!
Totally agree. We need major reform. Tiny tweaks aren't nearly enough.
How ‘bout we just get rid of the Nazis. That might be easier.
From a 1949 essay written by Albert Einstein: archive.org/details/Albe...
Get rid of Citizens United. Unless we get money out of our politics, we will never have another free and fair election.
I was trying to think of a clever pickup line, but honestly, I’d rather just get to know the real you.
It works in Britain. We are past the point where the belief (which was prevalent at the time of the Founders) that we need a substitute for a monarch makes sense. Congress must be sovereign.
@anthonymkreis.bsky.social
And get rid of brib...ehm.....money contributions to politics?
This is important but OP's post is more about structural reforms in government than it is about certain political issues, like money in politics. Money in politics should be reduced, but that would be something a multi-proportional government could get done.
I understand. Somehow I feel the 2 issues are yet related. I agree that there needs to be some serious reflections on how to change the system to prevent what's happening now. Hopefully we will get to vote them out. I am not that optimistic. Everyday the news are worse than the previous one.
If you don’t get the money out of politics, every politician will be beholden to the people who finance them. It has to go first. Nothing will get done unless the corporations or billionaires want it.
That's why you need the Supreme Court to be liberal to reverse course on Citizens United.
Yes!
Ranked choice voting. Term limits for ALL elected/appointed officials.
All good ideas. I wonder if it will happen in smaller regions first.
Would add - No lobbying, at all. - Pay congress a shit load of money but actually punish corruption
Lobbying out, oh yes. But shitloads of money only corrupt. Representatives barely work. They are away or absent from the building more than half the time. No 8-hr day for them. They need to struggle with the rest of the country so they can build a value system that isn’t based on money and power.
How do we get there though? What’s going to push hard enough to make drastic changes. We would need a constitutional convention which would be a shit show.
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Write Wilhoit's law into the Constitution, either as a ban on Conservatism or in its lesser known form ("anti-conservatism") as an affirmative/due process right.
Naa. We just need to get back into the habit of hanging Nazis.
- No corporate money, including from special interests such as AIPAC and the NRA. - Ranked-choice voting across the board. - Immediate removal from office via universal suffrage for the top rank of all three branches. - Age limits. If you can't renew your driver's license you can't be in office.
+ Public Financed Elections
To make the Constitution easier to amend, we'd have to amend it. The current 🎈-controlled states will block any amendment that doesn't improve their position. They plan to amend it to LOCK IN their permanent rule. THAT, we must block.
The easier amendments to the Constitution need to not be so easy as to just become partisan slop, flip-flop whiplash waste of resources and time though. And also to not become so long, technical, or unwieldy that a citizen can't pick it up and read, AND UNDERSTAND, the whole thing in under an hour.
No gerrymandering. County lines are congressional lines.
We need major media reform along with this. Media can’t be purely corporate.
Probably a parliamentary system implies this, but if not: abolish the EC.
I was toying with the idea of having really smart, grounded, caring people update/modernize the language of our Constitution, so today's idiots can't interpret it any way they want.
Take money out of politics. Make representatives termed limited and income limited.
I agree with the OP, but all systems are broken eventually unless term limits and donation limits and corruption laws are ultra. No one person can donate more than 2500 to any candidate directly or indirectly. PAC are illegal. And oh…. Your democracy must cut off wealth at 100 million.
I have changed my mind. Wealth and asset cap 50 million. It goes down every time Musk gets a bonus for failing.
About the money Make the job financially unattractive to rich people. Forced divestiture of personal wealth. Money held in public trust with interest at exactly GDP. Also need a recall mechanism
Allow called "no confidence" votes. We need a control-alt-delete provision.
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need to have a better districting solution too
We should abolish single member districts
Absolutely. Ranked choice primaries to decide your parties candidate list and a proportional general.
Let the parties do what they want. One problem with US parties is that they are incredibly weak.
[no one liked that] you're not wrong, though
Step 0: Big Blue Wave in 2026 and 2028. Take power away from Republicans. We need a modern day FDR.
This is gonna be the hardest part
Yes it will. Gavin Newsom is the only Dem fighting back. We need others to fight too (such as JB Pritzker), then hopefully someone will emerge as a leader. Start the campaigns now; it’s a whole new ballgame.
I will believe Pritzker the day his net worth drops below $999,999,999
FDR was wealthy before he was president. I excuse Pritz if he fights for us.
Making excuses for bad Dems got us here
Pritzger being a "bad Dem" is not in evidence.
I agree with you MN. Being a billionaire does not make someone a bad democrat. It’s more about principles. We need to fight fire with fire.
Remaining a billionaire makes someone a bad human being
We agree to disagree. My opinion is, I don’t care how much money someone has if they fight for us and defeat Republicans. Especially the orange monster in the WH. We need to widen the tent. The core of the problem of politics is Citizen’s United, which has to be overturned. Whatever it takes.
Step -1 Replace useless dems in the primaries It is primary season now Who is unseating your incumbent?
Your "useless" in "useless dems".. with that, I agree. until a recent move, Ilhan Omar was my congress-woman, and I supported her against "moderate" primary challengers. She is not one of the useless ones, IMHO.
The Dems will never allow a modern-day FDR. They have been the party of Reagan for 30 years.
Both parties are scared of major market crashes and a depression on their watch. Dems weakness are Republicans strength. Just hope someone will come along and pull the Democratic Party together. Otherwise we’re looking at a decade or two of this MAGA bullshit.
Both parties are scared of their billionaire and corporate donors. We need an opposition party on the side of working people. I do not see Dems ever being that again. They are beyond redemption. I would love to be proven wrong.
The Democratic party has changed hugely at least once in my lifetime.. ( after 1965 ) If either party is capable of being "taken over" by the people, it's the Democratic one.
I'm not so sure. Dems have pretty effectively insulated the party from progressive candidates since 1972. And folks like me who will not vote for right-wing Dems (e.g. Joe Manchin) are called "purists" and worse. The party will never change unless our vote is conditional to getting decent choices.
I get how you feel, but you're taking the lack of engagement in local politics as a permanent given. Ground up is how big changes happen, on the left side anyway. That hasn't happened in our lifetime but with motivation it can. That's why I'm watching Momdani. Also why the establishment hates him
No Second Amendment.
Outlaw corporate lobbying
As long as better access to medicine, food, housing and education come out of it I'm for whatever works. But if none of those things materialize then we are right back in the same mess as today.