Don’t get Mad—get EQUAL—Support a Citizens' Initiatives Amendment to Curb Special Interests & Improve Congress.

Calling for a U.S. Citizens' Initiatives Amendment to Improve Representative Government

• State Legislator's Informaton Package-PDF
• basic_schematic_insert.htm
• PROBLEMS are Serious and Urgent - They Cannot be Ignored
• PLANNED SOLUTION - Justification, Objectives and Criteria, Feasibility
• IMPLEMENTATION of Plan and Ratification of Amendment
• STATE SUPPORT for the Planned Amendment
• AMENDMENT for Direct Democracy Initiatives to Improve Representative Government
  • GOVERNMENT ACTIONS Prepare and Convene Initial Citizens' Assembly
  • CITIZENS' INITIATIVES ASSEMBLY - Complete Text of Opening Rules
• CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW - Approach to Marketing the Citizens Initiatives Amendment
  • PETITION FOR REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES-Remedy by Constitutional Amendment
  • PRESENTATIONS - Materials and Ideas for Promoting the Initiative Amendment
    • POWERPOINT SLIDESHOW for Promoting the Initiative Amendment
  • GENERIC STATE REFERENDUM BILL for an Application to Congress for a Convention to Propose a U.S. Citizens' Initiatives Amendment
    • State Bill 1
    • State Referendum 1
    • State Initiative 1
    • State Bill 2
    • State Referendum 2
    • State Initiative 2
  • LOBBYING LEGISLATORS
  • GRASSROOTS SUPPORT
    • FIND ADDRESSES of Congress and State Representatives and Candidates
    • WRITE OR EMAIL STATE LEGISLATORS to protect State Rights
    • WRITE OR EMAIL CANDIDATES to Pledge that they will Make a Change
    • OFFICIAL ROSTERS for Congress and State Legislature Members
    • PLEDGE OF INTENT to support Citizens' Initiatives Constitutional Amendment
    • WRITE OR EMAIL CONGRESS to Restore the General Welfare
  • SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION EXPECTED - Votes Trump All
  • VOTER DEMOGRAPHICS - Basic Data and Potential Supporters from the FEC
• PRACTICAL ISSUES MENU
  • BASIC SCHEMATIC: Key Steps to Implement the U.S. Citizens' Initiatives Amendment-HTM
  • ALTERNATIVES: Senator Gravel's National Initiative for Democracy vs. This Plan's Citizens' Initiatives Amendment
  • ASSEMBLY METHOD SUPERIOR to Petitions or Internet for Qualifying Nationwide Initiatives
  • CITIZEN ASSEMBLY Resembles Large Independent Federal Grand Jury
  • ASSEMBLY WISDOM - by Independence, Diversity, Knowledge, Motivation and Secret Vote
  • TYRANNY - Avoiding Risk of Tyranny by the Majority or by a Minority
  • SAFEGUARDS - State Rights, Initiative Quality, Sunset Provision
  • CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES - Guarantee Clause, 2nd Method, Federal Function
  • FISCAL DETAILS - Introduction
    • CAMPAIGN COSTS - Worst to Best Cases
    • ASSEMBLY COSTS - Estimates Based on Actual Costs of B.C. Citizens' Assembly Extrapolated to U.S. Circumstances
    • FINANCIAL BENEFITS - Return on Investment
  • U.S.CITIZENS' INITIATIVE ASSEMLY Suggestions
  • STATE CITIZENS' INITIATIVES ASSEMBLY Alternative to Popular Signature Petitions
  • BACKGROUND - Direct Democracy in Ancient Athens, Switzerland, U.S.
• ACCESSORY INFORMATION MENU
  • DOWNLOAD KEY DOCUMENTS For Printing and Distribution
    • Cover Page: Documents for Assemblyperson's Information Package-PDF
    • EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Five-Page Brochure of Plan for U.S. Citizens' Initiatives Amendment-PDF
    • BASIC SCHEMATIC: Key Steps to Implement the U.S. Citizens' Initiatives Amendment-DOC
    • AMENDMENT for Direct Democracy Initiatives to Improve Representative Government-PDF
    • GOVERNMENT ACTIONS Prepare and Convene Initial Citizens' Initiatives Assembly-PDF
    • CITIZENS' INITIATIVES ASSEMBLY - Complete Text of Opening Rules-PDF
    • STATE SUPPORT for the Planned Amendment-PDF
    • Cover Page: Documents for Assemblyperson's Information Package-DOC
    • GENERIC STATE REFERENDUM BILL for an Application to Congress for a Convention to Propose a U.S. Citizens' Initiatives Amendment-PDF
    • EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Five-Page Brochure of Plan for U.S. Citizens' Initiatives Amendment-DOC
    • BASIC SCHEMATIC: Key Steps to Implement the U.S. Citizens' Initiatives Amendment-PDF
    • AMENDMENT for Direct Democracy Initiatives to Improve Representative Government-DOC
    • GOVERNMENT ACTIONS Prepare and Convene Initial Citizens' Initiatives Assembly-DOC
    • CITIZENS' INITIATIVES ASSEMBLY - Complete Text of Opening Rules-DOC
    • STATE SUPPORT for the Planned Amendment-DOC
    • GENERIC STATE REFERENDUM BILL for an Application to Congress for a Convention to Propose a U.S. Citizens' Initiatives Amendment-DOC
  • LINKS to Direct Democracy References, Bibliography, Acknowledgements
  • FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
  • INFORMATION PAGES - Referenced from Other Pages
    • Declaration of Independence
    • Annapolis Convention Resolution 1786 Calling for Philadelphia Constitutional Convention 1787
    • Federalist No. 10 - Founding Fathers' View of the Maximum Size of a Democracy
    • Federalist No. 39 - U.S Constitution is Neither National nor Federal But a Composition of Both
    • Federalist No. 42 - State Citizenship Rights Conferred by the Constitution
    • Federalist No. 43 - Equality Between Amendments Originating in Congress or the States
    • Federalist No. 45 - Alleged Danger from the Powers of the Union to the State Governments Considered
    • Federalist No. 49 - Guarding Against Encroachments by Appealing to the People Through a Convention
    • Federalist No. 85 - Additional Security the Constitution Affords to Republican Government
    • James Madison - Debates in the Federal Convention, June 6th, 1787
    • James Wilson - Constitutions of the U.S. and of Pennsylvania - Legislative Department, 1790-1791
    • Gettysburg Address delivered by Abraham Lincoln
    • U.S. Constitution - Preamble
    • U.S. Constitution Article I Section 1: Legislative Powers Vested in Congress
    • U.S. Constitution Article I Section 2: Members Chosen by the People
    • U.S. Constitution Article I Section 3 Clause 6: Senate's Power to Try Impeachments
    • U.S. Constitution Article 1 Section 10 Clause 3: Powers Prohibited of States
    • U.S. Constitution Article 1 Section 8 Clause 18: Necessary and Proper Clause
    • U.S. Constitution Article IV: The States' Guarantee Clause
    • U.S. Constitution Article V: The Amendment Process
    • U.S. Constitution Article VII: Ratification
    • U.S. Constitution Amendment I: Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression
    • U.S. Constitution Amendment X: Powers of the States and the People
    • People's Political Power and Rights Defined in Extracts from State Constitutions
    • National Referendum to Declare War - Ludlow Amendment (Jan. 1938)
    • Voter Initiative Constitutional Amendment Hearings - Koupal, S.J. Res 67, 95th Congress (Dec. 1977)
    • Nationwide Initiative and Referendum on Reforming Congress - Hoekstra, 103rd Congress, H5756 (July 1994)
    • Article V Second Method Procedures for State Proposed Constitutional Amendments - Canady Bliley, H.J. Res. 84, 105th Congress, 1998
    • PST&T v Oregon - Full Text - Constitutionality of Initiative Process Cannot be Decided by Supreme Court, 223 U.S. 118, 1912
    • Constitutional Convention is Not Bound by State Referendums (or Initiatives). Hawke v Smith, 253 U.S. 221, 1920
    • U.S. Constitutional Amendment ratification by state referenda - American Political Science Review, Volume XIV, 1920
    • Mullen v. Howell - Full Text - Ratification of a Federal Amendment Can be Bound by State Referendum - 181 Pac. 920, 1919
    • Herbring v Brown - Full Text - Ratification of a Federal Amendment Can Not be Bound by State Referendum - 180 Pac. 328, 1919
    • Maine Opinion of the Justices: ratification of a Federal Amendment cannot be referred to the people of the State, 118 Me. 544, 107 Atl. 673, 1919
    • Durbin - Full Text - CRS Report for Congress - Amending the U.S. Constitution: by Congress or by Constitutional Convention - 95-589 A, May 1995
    • Eisenhower 1961
    • States Cannot Set Term Limit for Their U.S. Congresspersons-Term Limits v Thornton, (93-1456), 514 U.S. 779, 1995
    • Philadelphia II v. Gregoire holds it is not within state power to enact federal law
    • Cooley - Constitutional Limitations - the Ultimate Sovereignty is in the People, from whom Springs all Legitimate Authority
    • Congress Cannot Give President a Line Item Veto Power-Line Item Veto Act Unconstitutional, (97-1374) 524 U.S. 417, 1998
    • Quotes by: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, Roosevelt, Et Al.
    • Use of State Initiatives to Call for a Federal Constitutional Convention
    • City Initiatives in the 20 Largest U.S. Cities
    • States with Initiative Process
    • States with Referendum Process
    • Public Polls Show Strong Support for Nationwide Initiatives
    • California Citizens Assembly Constitutional Amendment 2006
    • How Democratic Was Athens? by Professor Gerhard Rempel-PDF
    • E-voting and Electoral Participation by Alexander H. Trechsel-PDF
    • State Initiative Project Costs
    • Incumbent Reelection Advantage
  • ACCESSIBILITY for Physical Disability Spanish and Internet Access
  • PRIVACY Policies Used on Web Site
  • COPYRIGHT Rights Reserved but Copies Readily Available
  • ABOUT US - Citizens for U.S. Direct Initiatives, Inc., Washington State
  • PURPOSE of this Web Site
  • GLOSSARY of Specialist Words, Definitions and Constitutional Meanings
  • Help
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  • Sub Topics Index
  • TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Version 05.27
 September 27, 2008