Lawn Chair Politics

"No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall take effect until the election of Representatives shall have intervened."

This amendment takes the Congress' control of their own salaries away.



This is a very low key video describing the Congress as money hungry monsters. Everyone likes money and not everyone is above greed so this is a good amendment.

FROM http://www.usconstitution.net/constamnotes.html#Am27

"27th Amendment
The 27th Amendment was originally proposed on September 25, 1789, as an article in the original Bill of Rights. It did not pass the required number of states with the articles we now know as the first ten amendments. It sat, unratified and with no expiration date, in constitutional limbo, for more than 80 years when Ohio ratified it to protest a congressional pay hike; no other states followed Ohio's lead, however. Again it languished, for more than 100 years.

In 1978, Wyoming ratified the amendment, but there was again, no follow-up by the remaining states. Then, in the early 1980's, Gregory Watson, an aide to a Texas legislator, took up the proposed amendment's cause. From 1983 to 1992, the requisite number of states ratified the amendment, and it was declared ratified on May 7, 1992 (74,003 days)."

This gives a little bit of background on the amendment.



To sum up the amendments, I thought this was funny.

"The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.
Section 2
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

This establishes the legal voting age at 18.



This is an ad urging youth to go out and vote.




What happens if you do not make an informed vote? I think it's not just the right to vote but to vote after researching the candidates... not to be swayed just by the media or any type of influence.





If 18 year old people can be drafted, then they should be able to vote.

"In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.
Section 2
Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.
Section 3
Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be dischared by the Vice President as Acting President.
Section 4
Whenever the Vice President and a majorit of either the principal officers or the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written delcaration that hte President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds, vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office."

This amendment talks about the Vice President as taking the place of President in either resignation or death. It also talks about the acting president. The President pro tempore of Senate and Speaker of the House will get the written documents saying the President cannot continue with his duties and the Vice President will become the acting President. It also gives specific time frames as to when the President shall resume powers of the Congress can decide if the Vice President shall continue as acting President.



This video more clearly explains the 25th Amendment in a clever way using video games.



Here is our Vice President Joe Biden. I don't like him all too much.

"The right of citizens of the United State to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representatives in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll or other tax.
Section 2
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

This amendment prohibits the taxing of votes or use of poll taxes. This is also another way to end segregations.



Here is a video claiming that the time waiting to vote is also a poll tax. It's the new poll tax considering that you have to take time off work and the opportunity cost that is lost by waiting to vote.



Here is a cartoon showing the burden of the poll tax.

"The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District whould be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of this amendment.
Section 2
The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

This amendment details the number of electors in the electoral college equal to the seats in Congress.



Here's an easy video to watch that talks about the electoral college and gives an example of the George W. Bush election.



Here's an electoral college map for the last election. It shows the number of electors per state.

"No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as Presidient during the remainder of such term.
Section 2
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress."

This amendment limits the president to two terms. It also says the acting president cannot servre more than 2 years.

ABC's Charles Gibson Already Thinking About Obama's Second Term? | NewsBusters.org

This article shows people making assumptions that Obama will serve his second term. It seems like Presidents usually serve the two terms.



Here is a video of people clearly against Obama serving a 2nd term based on things that he claims and what is happening in the world.

"The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.
Section 2
The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.
Section 3
This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided n the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress."

The amendment repeals the prohibition on alcohol making it again legal to use.



This a video about an author who tries to explain what has happened since the end of prohibition. He claims that rules and regulations have changed the way alcohol is used after prohibition.



The idea behind this photo is that alcohol prohibition did not work and either will other types of prohibition. The big thing now is the effort to legalize marijuana and people are claiming that we need to end its prohibition.