by Kevin Stoda
Without a doubt America needs a Constitutional Party of Reform or CPR-and we have needed it for years and centuries already.
Interestingly, I am hopeful that with this youngest generation of voters-some of whom were former students of mine and some of I heard speaking on NPR just today-makes me think that America's youngest generations of voters can push for the realization of constitutional conventions and pass constitutional amendments needed since 1789.
Lord knows these media savvy youth have the energy for this CPR that the baby-boomers have long failed to harness.
With a close race for president in North Carolina young voters (if they turn out in large numbers), I observe that the youngest voters can and will make the difference. Hopefully, in other USA states young voters can continue to be more active than any generation has been in decades. There should be young people soon running for many more offices in 2022 and 2024 as they see the success that they have been apart of this 2020.
These young voters have grown up to see that the system that has developed under our present constitution and its amendments has long ad too often fallen short of protecting and empowering the American peoples who have labored to create this land. Unlike their parents and grandparents, they know that for the last 40 to 50 years the Middle Class has been shrinking as have Americans' wages (as observed in failure of wages to keep up with wages since 1970;)
Constitution Reform
A constitutional reform coalition or party must demand that the documents of "the founding fathers" undergo some major revisions and oversee that health care is officially instituted as both a civil and a human right. This passage would likely be part of a series of economic related rights, such as a us all possibly receiving a guaranteed minimum income.
In addition, along with a constitutional amendment on the right to health care, the constitutional reformers need to oversee an end to the horrible voting and election systems and practices of the past 3 centuries.
For example we could introduce approval voting or there could be instant run-off elections guaranteeing that only the first who can garner 50+% percent of a popular vote can represent the people. Alternatively, these reformers may want to set up a multi-ballot parliamentary representative system to make sure that minorities are represented in government leadership, too.
In any case, all Americans must be automatically registered to receive a ballot and have direct access to voting withcounting nothing. There should be equity in voting regardless of city, state lines, county or district.
Further, ALL must have the right of voting without gerrymandering and without a two-party system writing the rules for all.
I could go on, but I turn to our readers and ask:
(1) If you were involved in revising our current constitution through amendments and constitutional conventions, what would you tell the committees organizing such and event?
(2) How should we proceed with assisting Americans now and in the future with CPR?
