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The initial Electorate will consist of those who fought and won the next revolution, and they serve for life. Their replacements consists of about 1% of the population, chosen by the Electorate for their strong support of the Bill of Rights, usually from their children, and are limited to twenty years. Electors receive no pay, no expenses and no pension.
Initially, almost everyone will be accepted, whether soldier, spy, or other worker. This open door policy will end as soon as victory appears inevitable, after which acceptance is by vote. We want the electorate to consist of those with vision and foresight, and have no room for those who merely want to join the herd after the dust is settled. This cut-off date is not hard, and will vary by location, but will be fixed when victory is complete. Those who fought will not be term limited.
The exact percentage of Electors is subject to debate. We assume 1%, but it could be as high as 5%; much higher would definitely start to pollute the body with less capable people. On the other hand, if fewer than 1/10% are Electors, the system would tend to lose touch with the people and degenerate into a nobility. It must be remembered that the Electors are the victors who accomplished a revolution, and they must be ever ready to do it again if (when) it becomes necessary. Too few cannot do it, too many will not. The correct percentage can best be seen in hindsight after the job is done.
There must be no transfer of money between the government and the Electorate to keep the Electorate forever independent. The Electorate will pay no taxes of any kind for their entire term plus 3 years; this is to completely insulate them from all government. Otherwise, an Elector could be intimidated by an IRS audit. This will make the Electorate a completely independent counterbalance to the powers of government. This is true separation of powers as envisioned by our Founding Fathers.
Candidates for the Electorate must be freeholders, been thru voluntary service, and meet strict literacy and skill at arms requirements. They must score in the top 25% in their IQ and prove it by tests in reading, writing, Constitution, mathematics and science. Music, poetry, fiction, etc., do not count in this test. They must be mature and present their family as demonstration, with at least one child. The candidate must be approved by a 90% vote of their local Electorate of at least 100 Electors. The vote will normally be held five years after the candidate is presented. On their first try, at least 50% of all candidates should be rejected for a better choice. Candidates shall be on the jury list, hopefully having served a term as juror and perhaps judge. This will give the prospect a record to be judged by.
Members of the Electorate can be removed by a 51% vote, or if their wealth puts them into the top 1%, or if their IQ drops below 100, or if they mortgage their house or lose skill at arms. Any Elector serving in any elected or other government job, including the military, will be suspended for the duration of that office or job.
Each Elector is expected to have his/her own private squad of at least five soldiers, who are probably candidates. The Electorate will be a militia prepared at all times to overthrow the government. The purpose of the Electorate is to stop tyranny of the majority, and to stand ready to launch a new revolution.
The Electorate votes for Senators at all levels of government, as well as the chief executive officers such as President, Governor, Mayor, Sheriff, etc.
The initial Electorate provides a buffer between the old and the new; they actually hold all the power on the day that the revolution succeeds, and they must set up the Jury Justice system and help it hold initial elections. The Revolutionary Electorate keeps the government on track during the critical early formative years, and slowly fades from old age to be replaced by young blood chosen to continue the task. Although the Electorate appears to have a lot of power, they control no money and their Senators are subject to Grand Jury oversight. Any residual lust for power should be nipped in the bud by term limits. The Electorate is insulated from government by being tax exempt with no pay. They are forbidden to fight on foreign soil.
The Electorate is responsible for the quality of government and for setting the moral tone of the nation. They set voter qualifications, phasing in or out requirements for voters to meet. This would probably be done by the Senate acting unilaterally without the House or President, and would be confirmed by a general vote of the Electorate. For example, if obvious demagogues are being elected in the House, the literacy test might be changed to cut off the lower 10% instead of 5%. Property requirements might need to be modified; maybe only the residence needs to be held free or maybe the Elector needs to be totally debt free. Small changes here will have large effects over time.
In our present system, when any group marches in the streets enough, they are given the vote. Once given, it is impossible to retract even if it is proven unwise; this is a ratcheting effect forcing democracy upon us. The Electorate is supposed to make it possible to decrease as well as increase the number of voters, and thus remove the ratchet and allow stability. By making it possible to change the voting process without revolution, slow drifts off the Constitutional intent can be corrected by gradual means. Government is a long term experiment and mistakes should be correctable without crisis.
The Electorate will create a question and answer book on the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and all questions on all literacy tests will be taken exactly from the book. The book will contain no more than 200 questions, and must be published at least a year before an election. Any changes in answers cannot be used for five years.
The Electorate must approve any treaty, agreement, declaration of war, or any other agreement / disagreement with any foreign country(s) by a 2/3 vote. They and their elected Senate have the power to countermand the Commander in Chief at any time to order the US military to return home. The Electorate should maintain sufficient military power that the regular army would not dare to stand against them. On the other hand, the Electorate is only 1% and could not stand against an armed 99%.
The Electorate, individually and collectively, will have the right of first refusal for anything that the armed forces wants to sell, scrap, or otherwise dispose of, including selling or transfering something to another branch of government or a foreign government. (an Elector can buy a tank by paying what the highest bidder offered.)
The Electorate must also consent to all laws on the banking system. Banking laws can make or break a nation. They should progress slowly, with much discussion at every stage. A fall back position should be established if the new law does not work out as planned. Then entire law should be discussed by the nation for at least two years after the proposed new law (or change) is finalized. We suggest that the law be approved by 2/3 of the Senate and House, and scheduled for a vote by the Electorate two years later unless either the Senate or House revoke their approval. A time of crisis is the worst possible time to pass radical new laws concerning the creation of money.
Normally, these votes should be held after at least two years discussion on the final bill. Delays are not required for repeal. These are all areas where our elected representatives have conspicuously failed their duty and cannot be trusted in the future. A referendum might also be useful here.
"I wish it were possible to obtain a single amendment to our constitution. I would be willing to depend on that alone for the reduction of the administration of our government to the genuine principles of its constitution; I mean an additional article, taking from the federal government the power of borrowing."
--Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Taylor, Nov. 26, 1798
Seeing the enormous allure of borrowing money, we must twice forbid it. This is probably best done by also forbidding the federal government from paying any interest. Bankers will not loan money without profit. If the government is in such desperate straits that money must be borrowed, let the people lend their money interest free. If it is not for a very good cause, no one will do it.
Nick Hull, < [email protected] >
Secretary, Committees of Correspondence
2702 Kimbrell Road, Lenoir City, Tennessee 37772
865-856-6185
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