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A proposed Constitutional amendment

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by NaasPreacher (C4K), Oct 21, 2012.

  1. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    The topic of people enumerated by the decennial census popped up in another thread on the Electoral College. Rather than further drag that thread off topic I reproduce a post from that thread here.

    The answer is not to 'fix' the Electoral College but to 'fix' the way representatives are chosen.

    It has already been done so precedent is set.

    Originally Article I Section 2 said this

    It was amendment by Article 2 of the 14th Amendment to say this

    Perhaps it should be amended to read something like

    Would that be a fix to the current 'broken state' of the Electoral College as well as unfair representation in Congress based on illegal immigrants?
     
  2. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons legally resident in each State, excluding Indians not taxed.

    Two things
    First I would delete the "Indian" phrase.

    How about legal non-citizens, such as students, foreign workers, ect
    In addition a college student would be considered a resident of the State or commonwealth in which he permanently resides.

    Therefore my amendment would read:

    Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of citizens legally resident in each State.
     
  3. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    Citizens of the state or citizens of the United States.

    I don't think either version would pass, non-citizen residents bring in too much federal money.

    However, I would have no problem with non-citizen legal residents being counted. They pay taxes and contribute to the community without being citizens.
     
  4. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Thats part of the problem - the census is to determine representation in Congress - NOT TO PASS OUT $$$

    I can compromise on legal non-citizens
     
  5. OldRegular

    OldRegular Well-Known Member

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    I like the following posed by Salty, amended slightly.

     
  6. NaasPreacher (C4K)

    NaasPreacher (C4K) Well-Known Member

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    I think this is the only way to go. These people legally reside some where and therefore need to be legally counted.

    Is nationality/citizenship still recorded on US Census forms?
     
  7. Mexdeaf

    Mexdeaf New Member

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    Nationality is asked but not citizenship status as I recall from the 2010 census form we filled out.

    http://2010.census.gov/2010census/about/interactive-form.php
     
  8. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
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    I got hold of Lucy Peabody's Kidnaping the Constitution published in 1934, and she writes on p. 88:
    She is referring to a proposed constitutional amendment repeatedly introduced by Senator Capper from Kansas throughout the 1930s and into the mid 1940s, when he retired. The bill never emerged from committee.

    The amendment would have dropped "excluding Indians not taxed" and in its place inserted an alien exclusion provision.


    [Mrs. Peabody was founder/president of the Fundamentalist missions agency, the Association of Baptists for Evangelism in the Orient (now ABWE).]

    She also mentions the amendment briefly in her 1936 book A Wider World for Women on p. 48:
     
  9. mont974x4

    mont974x4 New Member

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    Make it Reps per state like we for senators and call it a day.
     
  10. Magnetic Poles

    Magnetic Poles New Member

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    Let's fix the gerrymandering first.
     
  11. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of citizens legally resident in each State; each citizen to be counted only once.

    So how would non-permanent residents be counted (college students, military, ect?)


    I agree, but what would be your recommendation as to the solution?
     
  12. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    When I was stationed at Ft Hood, I was planning on buying some land the thru the Texas land Commission. In order to qualify for this low cost loan, I had to prove that I was a permanent resident. (As was my intention). I had (5 years previously) obtained a Texas license, Vehicle registration, was a member of a local church, voters registration and a couple of other documents. Yes, I did qualify in general terms - but the land had to be at least 10 acres - the land I wanted was only 9.995 acres - thus I did qualify.

    Anyways, I believe that if a person wants to vote in a certain State/Commonwealth and/or local elections, he should prove he is intending on permanent residency.

    Thoughts?
     
  13. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    The way it is now works fine for me.

    Elections have consequences and I don't see a way to stop gerrymandering. I believe it would take a constittutional amendment to do anything major with the electoral college, and that will never pass.

    For 40 years, I never heard a democrat one complain about gerrymandering. Now they don't like it.

    It's just a case of whose ox is being gored. They can't easily control both houses of congress anymore, so now gerrymandering is a bad thing. My suggestion is to quit whining and move to the center.
     
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