KEN STREMSKY DISCUSSES AMENDMENTS TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION, ELECTION REFORM, AND OTHER TOPICS I CHEATED ON A TEST IN HIGH SCHOOL When I was 16 years old in 1986, I cheated on an Anatomy and Physiology makeup exam that I took at Nashua Senior High School in Nashua, New Hampshire because I lost my temper. I had to take a makeup exam because I got very sick after going on a field trip for the Anatomy and Physiology class to a hospital. I studied for the test and I could not remember the diagram of the eye which was a significant portion of the grade for the test. I lost my temper because I had gotten very sick after the field trip. I cheated on the test. I should not have cheated on the test. The teacher did say the diagram of the eye might be on the test. I hand delivered a typed written note about my cheating on the test to the Superintendent of Schools office of Nashua, New Hampshire in 1992 because I could not handle the guilt any more. The Superintendent wrote me back. I do not think I have a copy of the note I typed or the letter from the Superintendent. TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY I am against Trade Promotion Authority for the President of the United States of America which would give the President of the United States of America the power to negotiate trade Treaties the United States Congress would have the ability to approve or reject but not amend. I believe that Trade Promotion Authority would give the President of the United States of America too much power. I also believe that giving Trade Promotion Authority to the President of the United States of America is unconstitutional because of Article One, Section Eight of the United States Constitution and Article Two, Section Two of the United States Constitution. Article One, Section Eight gives Congress the power "To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;" Article Two, Section Two says the President of the United States of America "shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators concur;" Trade Promotion Authority negates the Senate's ability to provide Advice on Treaties. If Trade Promotion Authority is approved, I would not use it if I was elected President of the United States of America. If Trade Promotion Authority is approved, I hope the United States Supreme Court will say that it is unconstitutional. I am unhappy that some people think it is not patriotic to vote against Trade Promotion Authority because Trade Promotion Authority is unconstitutional. If people want the President of the United States of America to have Trade Promotion Authotity, they need to pass an Amendment to the Constitution that does this. If an Amendment to the Constitution gives the President of the United States of America Trade Promotion Authority, I would not use Trade Promotion Authority if I am the President of the United States of America. AMENDMENT TWENTY-FIVE, SECTION FOUR OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION Amendment Twenty-Five, Section Four of the United States Constitution says "Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such 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 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 declaration that the 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 the 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." A great book that discusses the scary scenario of having a President of the United States of America and an Acting President of the United States of America at the same time is Father's Day by John Calvin Batchelor. Right now, I do not know how to completely fix Amendment Twenty-Five, Section Four of the United States Constitution. Reducing the number of days that Congress has to choose between the President of the United States of America and the Vice President of the United States of America is necessary. Requiring that the President of the United States of America and the Vice President of the United States of America answer questions in person either together or separately during a joint session of both Houses of Congress is necessary. Congress should also require that cabinet Secretaries answer questions together or separately during a joint session of both Houses of Congress. CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM Article 2, Section 2 of the United States Constitution gives the President of the United States of America the "Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for offenses against the United States, accept in Cases of Impeachment." I would like an amendment to the United States Constitution to be passed that gives the United States Senate the "Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment." I would like an amendment to the United States Constitution to be passed that gives state legislatures the "Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for offenses against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment." I support the death penalty for certain crimes. I believe that innocent people have been executed because of poor defense lawyers and racism. The United States Senate should have the power to free people who have been convicted of crimes including those involving the death penalty and life imprisonment without possibility of parole. State legislature(s) should have the power to free people who have been convicted of crimes including those involving the death penalty and life imprisonment without possibility of parole. VOTING RIGHTS OF FORMER CRIMINALS Once a person has served his or her criminal sentence the person should be allowed to vote in elections if the person is a citizen of the United States of America. Amendment Fifteen of the United States Constitution says "Section 1. The rights of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation." Servitude can mean slavery. Servitude can also mean prison terms because according to Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary on page 1076 servitude can mean "a condition in which one lacks liberty esp. to determine one's course of action or way of life." Former criminals should also be allowed to run for elective office including President of the United States of America if they are citizens of the United States of America. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OWNED BANK Congress might want to create a Federal Government owned bank that people and businesses may open up savings and checking accounts with. People and businesses could be allowed to obtain loans from the Federal Government owned bank. REFERENDUMS An amendment to the United States Constitution should be passed that says that when at least sixty percent of the voters who are at least 18 years of age vote for a referendum, the referendum shall become law. When at least 70 percent of the United States House of Representatives wants this law that was created by referendum vetoed, this law shall be vetoed. ELECTORAL COLLEGE A constitutional amendment should be passed that improves the Electoral College by having the winner of a state receiving two Electoral votes and the winner of a Congressional district receiving one Electroral vote. Electors would have to support the candidates they are pledged. If a tie takes place, the United States House of Representatives chooses the President of the United States of America. Presidential candidates might care more about the small states than they do now. Presidential candidates would probably care less about the small states if the President of the United States of America is chosen by popular vote instead of the Electoral College. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES The following suggestions dealing with Presidential primaries might encourage more people to run for President of the United States of America. All states should have primaries. New Hampshire should have the first primary. The primaries of the five states with the smallest populations should take place three weeks after the primary in New Hampshire. The primaries of the next five smallest states should take place three weeks later. The primaries of five states should take place every three weeks until the primaries in thirty-six states have taken place. A month after the primaries of thirty-six states have taken place, the primaries of the fourteen most populous states should take place on the same day. PRESIDENTIAL TERMS An amendment to the United States Constitution should be passed that allows a person who is or was the President of the United States of America to run for a third term if at least ninety percent of the United States House of Representatives votes to allow the person to seek a third term. A person could run for a fourth term if at least ninety percent of the United States House of Representatives and at least ninety percent of the United States Senate votes to allow the person to run for a fourth term. LINE ITEM VETO An amendment to the United States Constitution should be passed that gives the President of the United States of America the line item veto. A line item veto decision of the President of the United States of America should be overturned when at least sixty percent of the United States House of Representatives or at least sixty percent of the United States Senate wants the decision overturned. PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION An amendment to the United States Constitution should be added that says that the Majority Leader of the United States Senate should be next in line to become President of the United States of America after the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. If the President of the United States of America, the Vice-President of the United States of America, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, and the Cabinet are unable to serve as President of the United States of America, the Governor of the most populous state should become the President of the United States of America. If the Governor of the most populous state is not able to be President of the United States of America, the Governor of the next most populous state should become President of the United States of America. If no Governors are able to be President of the United States of America, the Majority Leader of the Senate of the the most populous state should become President of the United States of America. If the Majority Leader of the most populous state is not able to be President of the United States of America, the Majority Leader of the next most populous state should become President of the United States of America. If no Majority Leaders of State Senates are able to be President of the United States of America, the Mayor of the most populous city in the United States of America should become President of the United States of America. If the Mayor of the most populous city in America is not able to be President of the United States of America, the Mayor of the next most populous city in America should become President of the United States of America. SUCCESSION IN THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES If a Representative to the United States House of Representatives is not able to serve in the United States House of Representatives, the Governor of the state the Representative represents should be allowed to choose a Representative who will serve until an election for a new Representative takes place. An election for a new Representative should take place within three months of the former Representative not being able to serve. SUCCESSION IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE An amendment to the United States Constitution should be passed that says that if a United States Senator is not able to serve, the Governor of the State the Senator came from should choose a temporary Senator until a new election for the Senate seat can be held. A new election should take place within three months of the former Senator not being able to serve. UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT SUCCESSION An amendment to the United States Constitution should be passed that says if every member of the United States Supreme Court Court is unable to serve, the Supreme Court of the most populous state should act as the United States Supreme Court until a new United States Supreme Court is chosen by the President of the United States of America and the United States Senate. If the Supreme Court of the most populous state is not able to serve as the United States Supreme Court, the Supreme Court of the next most populous state should act as the United States Supreme Court until the President of the United States of America and the United States Senate choose a new United States Supreme Court. ELECTIVE OFFICE An amendment to the United States Constitution should be passed that allows people who are at least 18 years of age to become representatives to the United States House of Representatives, United States Senators, and Presidents of the United States of America. MORE POLITICAL POWER FOR STATES An amendment to the United States Constitution should pass that says that when at least 70 percent of the state legislatures of the United States of America vote for the repeal of treaties, laws, and regulations, they should be repealed. When at least 70 percent of the United States Senate vote to overturn a repeal, the repeal shall be overturned. An amendment to the United States Constitution should pass that says that when at least 80 percent of the state legislatures of the United States of America vote for the removal of the President of the United States of America, the President of the United States of America shall be removed from office two weeks later. The decision shall be overturned when at least 70 percent of the United States Senate vote to repeal the decision. The United States Senate should have to vote on overturning the decision within two weeks after the state legislatures of the United States of America have voted for the removal of the President of the United States of America. MORE POLITICAL POWER FOR CITIZENS An amendment to the United States Constitution should be passed that gives citizens of the United States of America who live in a Congressional district the ability to remove from office their Representative to the United States House of Representatives. A Representative to the United States House of Representatives should be removed from office when at least sixty percent of the voters in the district vote for the removal of the Representative. An election for another Representative for the Congressional district should take place within two months of the removal. The Representative who was removed from office should not be allowed to participate in this election. An amendment to the United States Constitution should be passed that gives citizens of the United States of America living in a state the power to remove their Senator from the United States Senate. A Senator should be removed from the United States Senate when at least sixty percent of the voters living in the state vote for the removal of the United States Senator. An election for another United States Senator should take place within two months. The Senator who was removed from office should not be allowed to participate in this election. An amendment to the United States Constitution should be passed that gives citizens of the United States of America the power to remove the President of the United States of America from office. The President of the United States of America should be removed from office when at least eighty percent of the voters of the United States of America vote for the removal of the President of the United States of America. The Vice-President of the United States of America should become President of the United States of America if the President of the United States of America is removed from office. If the President of the United States of America and the Vice-President of the United States of America are removed from office, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives should become President of the United States of America.