- Feb 7, 2005
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http://www.amazon.com/More-Per...vitalize/dp/0802716210
Saw him on MSNBC. He only talked about a few of his ideas, guess he wants people to find out the others by buying the book. I haven't yet but here's some of his ideas:
1. ONE six year term for president, with a possible 2 year extention by national referendum.
- help prevent a first termer focus on just getting reelected
2. 15 year terms (not life) for SCOTUS and Federal judges
- if it's not the last job they'll ever have, consequences of their decisions might figure more prominently in their opinions. Lifetime appointments may provide for a more independent judiciary, but at some point it surpasses independence and becomes unaccountability. When do judges ever get impeached??
3. Line item veto power for the president
- I'm completely against this, but I haven't read his arguments in favor. Sending a massive bill the president from which he can just strip out all the provisions he does not agree with equates to executive legislation. IIRC SCOTUS has negged this one already so either a re-hearing on the issue or an Amendment would be required to reinstitute it.
Anyone have any thoughts on the above or other reasonable ideas for "fixing" the Const, and has anyone read the book?
BTW: Sabato is more interested in getting discussion started about updating the Constitution rather than immediately calling for votes or Amendments to be passed. He recognizes many of his ideas seem ridiculous now, because they're new, but after entering the public consciousness for a few years, they might start to look more possible and plausible.
Saw him on MSNBC. He only talked about a few of his ideas, guess he wants people to find out the others by buying the book. I haven't yet but here's some of his ideas:
1. ONE six year term for president, with a possible 2 year extention by national referendum.
- help prevent a first termer focus on just getting reelected
2. 15 year terms (not life) for SCOTUS and Federal judges
- if it's not the last job they'll ever have, consequences of their decisions might figure more prominently in their opinions. Lifetime appointments may provide for a more independent judiciary, but at some point it surpasses independence and becomes unaccountability. When do judges ever get impeached??
3. Line item veto power for the president
- I'm completely against this, but I haven't read his arguments in favor. Sending a massive bill the president from which he can just strip out all the provisions he does not agree with equates to executive legislation. IIRC SCOTUS has negged this one already so either a re-hearing on the issue or an Amendment would be required to reinstitute it.
Anyone have any thoughts on the above or other reasonable ideas for "fixing" the Const, and has anyone read the book?
BTW: Sabato is more interested in getting discussion started about updating the Constitution rather than immediately calling for votes or Amendments to be passed. He recognizes many of his ideas seem ridiculous now, because they're new, but after entering the public consciousness for a few years, they might start to look more possible and plausible.