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General Category => General Chat => Topic started by: stas on Jan 16, 2013, 03:28: PM

Title: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: stas on Jan 16, 2013, 03:28: PM
Should we add a new amendment to the U.S. Constitution? What do you think it should be?
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: redsforlife on Jan 16, 2013, 03:56: PM
Are there any issues in particular you'd like to discuss? This is kind of vague. I have mixed feelings making the laws off a 200yr old document to begin with. I think we need to think about what is good for people in the present. Now, The Constitution is meant to be a living document, so changes are supposed to happen.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: Adi on Jan 17, 2013, 01:27: AM
Thanks for stopping by Stas.  Would be nice to have you posting around here again... miss your lovely thoughts. :grin:

Personally, I would consider adding an amendment to increase the number of years a President can serve (maybe to 12-15 years if the guy deserves it).  Also, replace electoral college with popular vote, legalize gay marriage, and something to balance budgets or get rid of the white collar cheaters.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: redsforlife on Jan 17, 2013, 03:48: AM
Thanks for stopping by Stas.  Would be nice to have you posting around here again... miss your lovely thoughts. :grin:

Personally, I would consider adding an amendment to increase the number of years a President can serve (maybe to 12-15 years if the guy deserves it).  Also, replace electoral college with popular vote, legalize gay marriage, and something to balance budgets or get rid of the white collar cheaters.

I'd agree with the allowing a president to serve more than 2 terms. It used to be traditional not to run more than 2 terms, but FDR did it and won. After that, they decided they must do that to prevent the USA from becoming like a Monarchy.

I hate the electoral college, but there are some good reasons for it. Super small states don't have much say in the popular vote, so candidates may ignore them. With  the electoral college, you cannot completely ignore them, because you might need 4-5pts. I would be in favor of splitting up the electoral points within the states to districts or something. This way states like Texas and Georgia which we live in aren't a lost cause for a non-Republican vote. Also, in states like NY and CA, rural areas that would vote non-Democratic could be heard as well. It would make it more complicated, but it's a good compromise from the popular vote and the electoral vote.

Gay marriage, I really don't care what gays do. I'm not gay, so it doesn't effect me one way or another. Go ahead and legalize it.

You would have to go into more details about your last one for me to really know what you are talking about. There are many things that could be done and many ways people cheat. Also, is that really amendment worthy?
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: Cillian22 on Jan 17, 2013, 03:55: AM
Ban all guns outright
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: redsforlife on Jan 17, 2013, 04:14: AM
Ban all guns outright

That will never happen, and that doesn't exist in most countries.

I personally believe in the 2nd Amendment.

Quote
Amendment II

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

I highlighted the portion that many Americans don't realize exist. Now, most people don't know what a militia is. They definitely aren't even a part of one. Also, it says it may be well regulated meaning there can be regulations on what type of weapons and which people are allowed to bear arms.

I think we must respect the 2nd Amendment, but we have to be realistic. No one needs assault rifles or any other high powered weapon that is made for military combat.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: Cillian22 on Jan 17, 2013, 08:24: AM
I don't think it will ever happen either, and guns are now so widespread that banning them now is totally pointless. However I do think the the world would be a better place if noone other than soldiers had guns.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: L_I_S on Jan 17, 2013, 09:57: AM
Follow Australian law. It's so rare to hear about a shooting, and usually there are no deaths anyway because it's like 1 gun between 4 people. There aren't many crimes other than hit and run(other vehicles or animals), petty theft, drink driving and those sorts of things, but I've never heard of any mass shootings in cinemas or schools.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: Adi on Jan 21, 2013, 01:23: PM
Follow Australian law. It's so rare to hear about a shooting, and usually there are no deaths anyway because it's like 1 gun between 4 people. There aren't many crimes other than hit and run(other vehicles or animals), petty theft, drink driving and those sorts of things, but I've never heard of any mass shootings in cinemas or schools.

Conservative Americans are starting to use Australia as an example of gun-ban negatively impacting the homicide and crime rate.  Is that true?  Since you banned guns down there, have the numbers gone in the wrong direction or is that just some BS?
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: redsforlife on Jan 21, 2013, 01:30: PM
Conservative Americans are starting to use Australia as an example of gun-ban negatively impacting the homicide and crime rate.  Is that true?  Since you banned guns down there, have the numbers gone in the wrong direction or is that just some BS?

No, it's a complete myth that the NRA made. They actually put fake statistics and paid Google or something to make them come up in searches. It got busted big time.

The truth is, Australia's last major incident similar to the recent shootings in the US was before they made their new laws. Since then, both gun crimes and crimes in general have dropped.

Now, the NRA also uses this statistic to show how gun control doesn't work. Banning guns increases knife attacks. This is 100% true. The thing is, there are still far less deaths from any of these attacks than when guns were legal. I'd be in favor of adopting Australia's gun laws, but I doubt it will happen soon. We'll have to take baby steps first.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: Adi on Jan 21, 2013, 01:47: PM
Thanks, figured that was the case.  If you stumble upon any legit articles or numbers, let me know.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: L_I_S on Jan 21, 2013, 04:00: PM
Maybe it's just movies but are there gun shops everywhere in the US?
I've never seen one in Australia and I'm starting to think you can only get guns from a police station lol
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: redsforlife on Jan 22, 2013, 03:21: AM
Maybe it's just movies but are there gun shops everywhere in the US?
I've never seen one in Australia and I'm starting to think you can only get guns from a police station lol

You can buy guns at your local sporting goods stores. You used to be able to buy them at Wal-Mart, but they quit carrying them. This is how easy it is to get a gun legally here. I just have to go to the nearest sporting goods store, and I can come home with a gun. It would most likely be a hunting rifle, but I would have my gun if I wanted. To get other types of guns, you'd have to find a gun store. These are still fairly common even in the city. Smaller towns even more common.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: L_I_S on Jan 22, 2013, 05:18: PM
You can buy guns at your local sporting goods stores. You used to be able to buy them at Wal-Mart, but they quit carrying them. This is how easy it is to get a gun legally here. I just have to go to the nearest sporting goods store, and I can come home with a gun. It would most likely be a hunting rifle, but I would have my gun if I wanted. To get other types of guns, you'd have to find a gun store. These are still fairly common even in the city. Smaller towns even more common.
Holy crap! There's no waiting period to connect the gun to the person or any legal issues before the gun is sold? You just rock up to the store and ask for a gun?! That's crazy.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: redsforlife on Jan 23, 2013, 03:16: AM
Holy crap! There's no waiting period to connect the gun to the person or any legal issues before the gun is sold? You just rock up to the store and ask for a gun?! That's crazy.

They do a background check, but it's minimal. It just takes a few minutes, but ya, I get go buy a gun and bring it home today. For more high power guns, there is a waiting period and shit tons of paper work, but you can still get them. We love our guns. :violent-smiley-007:
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: vittoleon on Jan 23, 2013, 03:50: AM
Building a modern country on a document written more than 200 years ago is close to absolute madness... You guys treat this piece of paper as some sort of divine thing that cant ever be changed...
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: redsforlife on Jan 23, 2013, 05:23: AM
Building a modern country on a document written more than 200 years ago is close to absolute madness... You guys treat this piece of paper as some sort of divine thing that cant ever be changed...

Many countries of constitutions similar to the US's. It's also meant to be a living document to adapt to the times. Amendments themselves are changes to the Constitution. That's kind of what this is about.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: L_I_S on Jan 23, 2013, 04:40: PM
They do a background check, but it's minimal. It just takes a few minutes, but ya, I get go buy a gun and bring it home today. For more high power guns, there is a waiting period and shit tons of paper work, but you can still get them. We love our guns. :violent-smiley-007:
Hypothetically, if you bought a gun and then I stole it, you let the authorities know that it was stolen and then I kill someone with it and then dumped the gun after cleaning it, couldn't I get a way with murder quite easily? Assuming there's no witnesses and all DNA evidence has been removed from the gun.
Title: Re: New Amendment to the U.S. Constitution?
Post by: redsforlife on Jan 23, 2013, 05:11: PM
Hypothetically, if you bought a gun and then I stole it, you let the authorities know that it was stolen and then I kill someone with it and then dumped the gun after cleaning it, couldn't I get a way with murder quite easily? Assuming there's no witnesses and all DNA evidence has been removed from the gun.

Yes, but doing and saying are completely different things. That being said, we both know plenty of people get away with murder. Actually, I'd probably still be the prime suspect, because the gun would be the only evidence. I guess it would depend on how much evidence I had that you genuinely stole my gun.