Constitutional Convention

by   Quentin Clingerman,  Monrovia, MD

There are some issues that I believe call for a Constitutional Convention to revise our Constitution.

Universal Suffrage has not been good for out country:   1:  People who do not or have never, nor will ever pay income taxes have no reason to keep government expense under control.  2:  Politicians buy votes by offering these no tax paying people all kinds of goodies.  People without a monetary investment in the system have no incentive to care how much the government spends as long as they get a handout.

Congress decides if it should get salary increases and other benefits which has not been good for keeping government expenditure under control.  There should be a nongovenment commission made up of fiscal savy to determine salary and benefits.  Congress should not make more than the average citizen in either salary or benefits. 

War should be declared by Congress.  Only in extreme emergencies which is clearly defined should the President be able to commit military to any conflict that is outside of the USA or its territories.  Then Congress must declare War within 90 days or the military must be pulled back.

Universal Education should be provided but not required.  Parents must be responsible for the education of their children.  All children should be tested every three years from nine years of age to make sure that parents are seeing to it their children are being educated.  Parents should be fined if their children fail these tests (criteria for exemptions should be provided).  Students who are then obstreporus or out of control would be placed in the direct responsibility of the parents. Teachers then could be teachers and not baby sitters, psychologists, police officers, etc.

So what do you thin?