A Bill of State Rights

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Restoring the role of the State Governments as a check and balance to the over-expansion of the Federal Government.

We propose a package of constitutional amendments that work in harmony to reduce the size and scope of the Federal Government relative to the state governments, and reinforce the U.S. Constitution by providing the States with additional express checks and balances to Federal powers.

We seek to popularize the idea of a package of constitutional amendments as a long-term, systemic solution that addresses fundamental ways in which the American system of government has broken down and educate about the danger of centralized government power, how essential firewalls in the US Constitution have been breached, and the importance of repairing and reinforcing the principle of checks and balances in our government to halt the growth of the Federal Government and ensure that it never again grows to hold the unchecked power that it now wields.

  1. Preamble
  2. In recognition of the foundational American principle that all government power should be checked and abuse guarded against by separate and equal branches of government; that the National Government now routinely exercises extra-Constitutional powers that grow year by year with few remaining checks which, in practice, limit its ultimate authority; and believing that government closest to the people is most easily held accountable to their rights and wishes: we present for consideration the following amendments to the Constitution of the United States with the desire to protect, preserve, and restore balance to the American system of government.
  3. Term Limits for Congress
  4. No person who has served three terms as a Representative shall be eligible to hold office in the House of Representatives. No person who has served two terms as a Senator shall be eligible to hold office in the Senate.
  5. Balanced Budget Amendment
  6. Total spending for any fiscal year shall not exceed total revenues for that fiscal year, unless two-thirds of Congress provides an exception to this rule. Total spending shall not exceed 18% GDP. Tax increases shall require two-thirds approval of Congress.
  7. Flat Tax Amendment
  8. The Congress shall have no other power to levy or relieve taxes upon the income of the People of the United states than to establish one single rate upon total personal income, one single rate upon business income, and one single rate upon the income of not-for-profit institutions.
  9. Voter Identification
  10. The integrity of the vote being necessary to the preservation of this Republic, all votes cast for civil officers of the National government or of a State Government shall be certified by the presentation of photo ID.
  11. Veto of the Supreme Court
  12. Two thirds of U.S. Senators or one half of the States may veto any ruling of the Supreme Court. Sixty percent of the States may impeach a Justice of the Supreme Court.
  13. Term Limits for Federal Judges
  14. No person who has served three terms as a Representative shall be eligible for election to the House of Representatives. No person who has served two terms as a Senator shall be eligible for election or appointment to the Senate.
  15. State Veto of Federal Courts
  16. No Justice of the Supreme Court or any other Federal Court shall serve a term longer than 16 years.
  17. State Veto of Federal Legislation
  18. One-half of all State legislatures acting independently may overturn any federal bill, statute, or regulation, in whole or part, affecting commerce among the several States, or affecting the collection of revenue from the States or citizens of the States.
  19. State Ratification of Treaties
  20. Treaties that pertain to the domestic sovereignty or jurisprudence of the United States must be ratified by three-fifths of the States.
  21. State Veto of the Supreme Court
  22. Any ruling of the Supreme Court, in whole or part, may be reviewed by the Legislatures of the United States and, three-fifths of the Legislatures concurring, an order voiding any binding precedent established under the doctrine of stare decisis pertaining to said ruling shall take effect.

Many of these amendments have been individually proposed in Congress or as referendums. Any of these amendment if passed into law would be beneficial on its own. However, several passed together in a coherent package would constitute a Bill of State Rights as effective at limiting the expansion of federal power as the Bill of Rights has been in limiting federal encroachment on individual liberty. Read our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about how passing a Bill of State Rights can help save the Bill of Rights and the American form of government.

Please join us in our efforts to resist the concentration and abuse of power. If you agree with us that in the name of Freedom and Liberty the Federal Government has abused its powers for too long, commit to take some of the following actions:

  • Ask your elected representatives, especially at the state and local level, to support amendments to the U.S. Constitution that strategically tip the balance of government power back toward the States.
  • Only elect representatives to local and national office who have personally acknowledged to you that the Federal Government is abusing its powers. (That is, ask them specifically before you give them your vote!)
  • Only elect representatives to office who commit to actively and intelligently resist Federal abuse of power. (Ask them!)
  • Ask them to support specific amendments that you believe will help.
  • Spread the word! Invite relatives and friends to educate themselves about the importance of restoring the balance of power between the Federal Government and the 50 United States.
  • Contribute to this project, or other projects that are promoting liberty via constitutional amendments.

(read more)