The only way a new Bill of Rights for the Twenty-first Century could ever be passed is by utilizing the second method prescribed in Article V. Part of me wonders if the Founders put this option in the Constitution for the day when Congress accrued too much power and controlled elections to maintain their Imperial positions of power? In the entire History of this country under our Constitution, it was never necessary to use this second method for Amendment. However, the Imperial Senate and House will never pass serious reform, so it becomes the only path to ensuring the reforms that will reverse the spreading tumor of suppressive government.

The second method is for a Constitutional Convention to be called by two-thirds of the legislatures of the States, and for that Convention to propose one or more amendments. These amendments are then sent to states to be approved by three-fourths of the state legislatures or conventions. When it comes to changing the Constitution, Congress will NOT limit their power by reforming themselves. Remember, Power corrupts and Congress has shown no aversion to obtaining Absolute Power. That is one step away from Totalitarian government! A Constitutional Convention is a long shot, but so was the United States of America in 1776!

First and foremost is Term Limits for Senators and Representatives. This, along with mandatory retirement for Judges and other high level bureaucrats to make sure that the Beltway is freshened periodically. In 2006, Robin Williams starred in a movie, “The Man Of The Year.” His character says, “Congress is a lot like babies. They need to be changed often and for the same reason.” I couldn’t agree more and what elsneeds to be said for doing unto Congress what we have done to the President; Limit his terms in office! Of course being Hollywood entertainment, the usual big government propoganda had to be addressed when his character said more money was needed for Health Care and Education as he was running for President. Once again, ignoring the fact that since the Great Society, we have spent trillions, and both Healthcare and Education haven’t gotten better, just more expensive. So that is a natural sequey to the second Amendment necessary.

The second is the Balance Budget Amendment. A proposed amendment has already been introduced before the Senate and House of Representative prior to abandoning all efforts at fiscal responsibility. Here, for example, is the text of the version presented to both Houses of Congress and was approved by the Senate with  a vote of 69 to 31 on August 4, 1982. It was supported by an inadequate majority of the House of Representatives (with a vote of 236 to 187) on October 1, 1982:

"Section 1. Prior to each fiscal year, the Congress shall adopt a statement of receipts and outlays for that year in which total outlays are no greater than total receipts. The Congress may amend such statement provided revised outlays are not greater than revised receipts. Whenever three-fifths of the whole number of both Houses shall deem it necessary, Congress in such statements may provide for a specific excess of outlays over receipts by a vote directly to that subject. The Congress and the President shall ensure that actual outlays do not exceed the outlays set forth in such statement.

There is more to the Amendment passed in 1982, and never heard from again. Republicans took Congress in 1994 with the Contract for America that took this Amendment as one of the planks in a program to reduce government. Only to be forgotten when the Corrupting influence of Power took over the Republican Congressional Leadership. And now a fiscally irresponsible Republican Administartion, fiddling like Nero when Rome burned, presides over the last opportunity to reform government. Their arrogant and egocnetric Administration will enable the Liberal Socialist Democrats to grab all the branches of government. Unless we have a Constituional Convention, this Amendment, and the others that limit power, will never happen. 

Ironically, if this amendment was in place, it would make the United States Senate and House of Representatives responsible for making sure the taxpayers money was spent correctly. It was introduced and almost became part of the U.S. Constitution during that hopeful period when Ronald Reagan was President and his programs to pull back the forces of Government looked like they would become a reality. The people wanted a pullback in Government, then as now, but the special interests and their allies in Congress were laying in wait. Since so many Republicans were part of the Big Government team, they just waited out President Reagan's term. Professional politicians and bureaucrats don’t really believe the will of the people should be acted upon.

There have been many proponents of a flat income tax for decades. The second Amendment in the Twenty-first Century Bill of Rights would be an amendment to the Sixteenth Amendment. This would add the following language in italics:

"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration." Added; "For individuals the Internal Revenue Code shall be replaced with a Flat Tax. A levy of 20% shall be applied to all individual income above a tax-free allowance to be set yearly by the Department of Labor. All deductions and credits previously in effect are abolished. The House of Representatives may increase the percentage of tax only with a published list of the expenditures necessitated by the increase that is published for public review three months prior to effect."

Of course this is all too logical. Clint Eastwood in an interview with the New York Daily News, November 19, 1997 said; "I guess it's like trying to put through the flat tax, which is probably my favorite one of all.... if we did pass it, all of a sudden, what do you have? You have the whole tax system run by a little old lady on a home computer, doing the work of all these thousands of bureaucrats and accountants. Passing that would be amazing, wouldn't it?" Yet year after year Capital Hill hypocrites say this tax would be unfair to the Middle Class and would help the wealthy. It just isn't so, the flat tax would let Americans focus on how there money is being spent rather than confused by the system to collect tax revenue!

This election won’t change anything. Only a new Bill of Rights protecting its citizens from an ever growing despotic government can help give us the change we need.