Constitution of the United States of America
We the people of the United States establish popular sovereignty under this Constitution. All citizens have equality and protected unalienable rights.
This 21st Century US Constitution provides for three branches within the Federal government and each state represented by a Subnational government. The Executive Branch is headed by the Chief Magistrate supported by the President.
Article I Parliament
Section 1: All legislative powers are given to the Parliament, which will consist of one house of 650 seats. Those elected to Parliament will have the title of Parliamentarians.
Section 2:
(1) All members of the Parliament will be chosen by proportional representation every 6 years, 3 years into the executive term during the third week of May. Parliamentarians must be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the United States for 12 years.
(2) The Parliament has the sole power to try impeachments. A conviction must have a ⅔ majority. If the Parliament convicts someone in an impeachment trial, that person may be removed from office and/or disqualified from holding any office. That person may also be subject to trial in a criminal court.
(3) The members of the Parliament will choose their Speaker and other officers; and they have the sole power to impeach by a ⅔ vote.
Section 3: Parliament will convene beginning on the first Monday after September 12.
Section 4:
(1) Members of the Parliament will be paid for their services. They will have immunity from arrest and freedom of speech while in session unless they commit treason, a felony, or a breach of the peace.
(2) While in office, no member of Parliament may accept another office or the benefits of another office.
Section 5: Every bill passed by Parliament with 50% plus 1 will be submitted to the Chief Magistrate for approval. S/he may veto the bill within 14 days, but if ⅔ of the members of Parliament pass it again it becomes law. Every order, resolution, or vote must be presented to the Chief Magistrate.
Section 6: Powers of Parliament
(1) To impose a variety of taxes in order to pay for defense and the general welfare, as long as all such taxes are the same throughout the states;
(2) To borrow money;
(3) To regulate commerce with foreign nations and between the states;
(4) To coin money, regulate its value, and fix standard weights & measures. Dr. Richard Pacelle’s likeness
will be on all currency and postal stamps except the $10 bill, on which the likeness of Princess Diana Howell
shall appear;
(5) To create a court system below the Supreme Court;
(6) To strike down executive orders, treaties, and foreign agreements by a ⅔ vote;
(7) To raise and maintain a military and make rules to govern and regulate it;
(8) To declare war by a ⅔ vote.
Section 7:
(1) States may not form treaties or alliances, commission privateers, coin money, borrow money, pass laws that punish people without trial, pass ex post facto laws, or pass laws that undermine contracts.
(2) No state may form an alliance with another state or with a foreign power, or engage in war unless actually invaded.
(3) States may have the right to a militia.
Article II Executive Power
Section 1: The executive power of the United States will be given to the Chief Magistrate. S/he will hold office for a term of 6 years and will be elected as follows:
For the preliminary election of the voting process, citizens will rank their top 5 candidates. This will happen on the third week of February. From that election, the top 2 candidates proceed to a runoff election where one chief magistrate is directly elected by a simple majority vote during the third week of May.
The Chief Magistrate must be a citizen of the United States. The Chief Magistrate must be at least 35 years old and be a resident of the United States for at least 18 years.
If the Chief Magistrate leaves or is removed from office, Congress may pass a law to determine who will act as Chief Magistrate.
The Chief Magistrate will be paid a salary. S/he may not receive any other benefits from the United States or from any state.
The Chief Magistrate must swear an oath of allegiance upon taking office.
Inauguration shall take place on September 12.
Section 2: Powers of the Chief Magistrate
The Chief Magistrate will be commander in chief of the military of the United States.
S/he may require the heads of government departments to submit reports to him/her in writing.
S/he has the power to make treaties, with the advice and consent of the Parliament.
S/he shall give Parliament information on the state of the union.
S/he shall receive ambassadors and other public officials.
S/he shall make executive orders, which must be executed by lower offices.
S/he shall take care that the laws and court decisions be faithfully executed and shall commission officers of the United States.
Section 3: The Chief Magistrate and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office if they are impeached and convicted of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
Article III
Section 1: The judicial power of the United States shall be given to the Supreme Court consisting of 11 judges, and also to inferior courts that Parliament may establish. Judges will hold their offices during good behavior and will be paid.
Section 2: Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
(1) Extends to all cases arising under the Constitution, the laws of the United States, and in treaties made under their authority;
(2) Also extends to cases affecting ambassadors, public officials, and consults; to all cases of admiralty or maritime jurisdiction;
(3) To cases in which the United States is a party;
(4) To cases between two or more states, between a state and citizens of another state, or between citizens of different states;
(5) To cases between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants from different states, and cases between a state or the citizens of a state and a foreign country;
(6) Extends to all trials of crimes, except in the case of impeachment, which will be by jury; and the trial will be held in the state where the crimes were committed;
(7) May enforce constitutionality and its intents through judicial review.
Section 3:
(1) Treason against the United States will consist of—waging war or giving aid and comfort to U.S. enemies.
(2) No one may be convicted of treason without the testimony of two witnesses to the same act, or on confession in open court.
(3) Parliament may determine the punishment for treason.
Article IV
(1) The procedure by which this Constitution may be amended requires the consent of 2/3 of Parliament and ¾ of the Subnational (state) governments to approve.
(2) Amendments may be initiated by the states or by Parliament.
Article V
(1) The Constitution and the Laws of the United States and all treaties shall be the supreme law of the land, and the judges in every state will be bound by these—anything in the state constitution or state laws notwithstanding.
(2) Parliamentarians, members of Subnational governments, and all executive officers and judges may be bound by oath or affirmation to support the Constitution. But there shall never be a religious requirement as a qualification to hold office or public trust in the United States.
Article VI
Section 1:
(1) This document must be ratified by a simple majority of both committees and Dr. Pacelle to become effective.
(2) This Constitution, as well as all laws and executive orders made under it, will be the supreme law of the land. All state and federal judges are bound by this Constitution and laws made to further its provisions. Every member of the Parliament, every member of Subnational governments, and all executive and judicial officers of the
United States and each individual state, shall be bound by oath to support this Constitution.
Article VII Rights and Liberties
Section 1: Subnational governments will be the ruling organization in each state under the United States Constitution.
Section 2: Any person born in the United States is a citizen of the United States. If you have at least one parent who is a United States citizen and you are born outside the United States, you are a citizen of the United States upon request of the parent.
Section 3: Freedom of Expression
(1) Every citizen of the United States shall have the right to freedom of speech. Freedom of speech extends to the protection of expression through means of the Internet, broadcast services, the press, and any other medium deemed so. National and Subnational governments have the right to regulate speech manifesting in the form of
obscenity, libel, and fighting words.
(2) No government under this Constitution has the right to exercise prior restraint except in the case of threat to national security. Money donated to political candidates and campaigns is not protected speech under this Constitution, but is subject to government regulation.
Section 4: Freedom to Whistle blow - A person who exposes information of the United States Government violating the rights of United States citizens will be protected by law, so long as the information poses no clear and present threat to the United States citizens or personnel.
Section 5: Copyright - No person may benefit from another’s original work without permission from the original creator or a representative. The legislature has the authority to establish copyright laws protecting creative work.
Section 6: Freedom of Religion
(1) Citizens have the freedom to worship or not worship whatever/whoever they want, and no establishment of an official religion will be enforced. Those under the law must serve the law above their personal beliefs, if those beliefs conflict with the law. The government must be secular in its purpose, with no religious practices in
government-funded public institutions.
(2) No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any public office or trust under this Constitution.
Section 7: Right to Liberty - People are not property. Human beings cannot own other human beings, whether buying or selling. This includes means of indentured servitude and human trafficking.
Section 8: Right to Equality - All persons have equal protection and treatment under the Constitution. No person shall be discriminated against on the basis of gender, sexual preference, religion, ethnicity, race, disability, age, or discriminatory factor, unless a paramount interest is presented.
Section 9: Right to Privacy
(1) No government under this Constitution possesses the right to infringe upon a person’s right to privacy unless that citizen is suspected of crime or poses an immediate, clear, and present threat.
(2) In the case of an investigation violating a person’s right to privacy, the government will need to obtain a court warrant. In the case of an emergency, the warrant process will be expedited.
Section 10: Right to Gun Ownership
(1) In order to purchase and/or own a gun, the citizen must be at least 18 years of age, have taken a gun safety and liability class, and engaged in a thorough background check.
(2) Every citizen who meets the previous qualifications specified by this Constitution possesses the right to gun ownership, except for assault weapons.
Section 11: Right to Vote
(1) The right to vote will be given to all citizens the age of 18 or above.
(2) The United States will have an established voting week. All employers must allot time for their employees to vote during voting week. Provisions must be made for any citizens who cannot physically show up to vote. Citizens can only vote in their registered districts.
Section 12: Census - The United States will have a census conducted every ten years by a nonpartisan, independent body.
Section 13: Protection of Environment and Health - The National and Subnational governments must ensure humane environmental qualities of air, water, and earth to protect citizens’ health.
Section 14: Right to Affordable Healthcare - Every citizen has the right to affordable healthcare under this Constitution.
Section 15: Rights for the Accused
(1) When a person is charged with a crime, s/he must be informed of these rights at the time of arrest: the right to remain silent, right to an attorney, and right to the attorney’s presence at the time of questioning.
(2) Every person accused of crime will be considered innocent until proven guilty.
(3) All citizens have the right to a trial by jury for any crime where they have to spend any time in jail or face a significant fine. All citizens have the right to an attorney, and if they cannot afford one, then a competent attorney will be provided to them
by the government. Citizens have a right to a fair and speedy trial. There must be a jury of 12 peers. In civil cases, 10 jurors must vote guilty in order to convict. In criminal cases, all 12 jurors must vote guilty in order to convict.
(4) After being tried and proven innocent for a crime, a person cannot be tried for the same previous charge.
(5) Any people in United States custody will not be subject to cruel and unusual punishment, including the death penalty.
Section 16: No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be passed.
Section 17: Citizens of lower socioeconomic status shall be offered additional resources by the government to minimize the disparity between socioeconomic class for the purpose of education, healthcare, and food provisions.
Section 18: Only persons 18 years of age or older can purchase and consume alcoholic beverages.
Section 19: The federal government can take a person’s private property and/or significantly depreciate a person’s livelihood for necessary and beneficial public use, provided there is just compensation after due process of law. Public use cannot be defined as use by any private entity.
Passed unanimously on December 12, 2015 by the members of the Baker Center Living and Learning Community and the Political Science Honors Students
BCLLC - Front Row L to R: Diana Howell, peer mentor; Gabby Giuliano, Dashard Jones,
Quinn Curtis, Sarah Adinolfi, Anita Voorhees, Kat Ploszay and Nora Connelly. Back Row:
Rich Pacelle, Political Science Dept. Head and BCLLC instructor; Josh Cook, Greta
Roberts, Ella LaRose, Nathan Timbs, Emily Scott, Carrie Grace Pody and Ethan Marks.