Bill of Rights
This may be just what we need. http://www.mybillofrights.org/home.php
Just think: Replace all ten commandments monuments on public property with Bill of Rights monuments.
Briefly all 10 (my own restatements):
1. Congress shall not make laws to establish religion, or prevent free expression of religion, or curtail the freedoms of speech, of the press (mass communication) or of people to assemble in peace.
2. Capable citizen soldiers are necessary to protect the country, so people should be allowed to own and carry weapons.
3. In peace, soldiers are not to be housed at your home without your permission. In wartime, that can only be done with proper legislation.
4. Your house, your documents, your body (and person-hood), the items you own, are safe from search or seizure without a reason. That reason shall be affirmed under oath to support a requested warrant with defined person and place to be searched.
5. The government cannot hold someone for "Capital Crimes" without indictment in a grand jury; with exceptions given to action by armed forces or the militia in time of war. For the same offense, a person's life and limb cannot be twice put in jeopardy. A person cannot be forced to witness against himself. Loss of life, liberty or property must be according to the law. Private property cannot be seized for public without sufficient compensation.
6. Trials for crimes must occur quickly and publicly and must be before an impartial jury in the legally defined district where the crime occurred. The accused has the right to know the charges and why the government thinks he is guilty, the right to actually face the accuser, the right to require witnesses to testify for him, and to have a defense attorney.
7. For civil cases involving more than $20 or $20 worth of property, jury trials are available. Once tried before a jury, the facts presented cannot be used again, unless per common law.
8. There shall not be excessive fines, excessive bail, nor cruel and unusual punishments.
9. The rights listed in the Constitution do not mean that people do not have other rights.
10. Powers not given the (federal government) by the Constitution nor restricted to the individual states by the Constitution belong to the states, or to the people.
Literal text: http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html
Writing the Bill of Rights in my own language - and writing just what is written, not interpreting was an interesting exercise. Some of the items leave a lot of wiggle room. Others call for major review. For example in this day, $20 is probably too low a threshold.
Just think: Replace all ten commandments monuments on public property with Bill of Rights monuments.
Briefly all 10 (my own restatements):
1. Congress shall not make laws to establish religion, or prevent free expression of religion, or curtail the freedoms of speech, of the press (mass communication) or of people to assemble in peace.
2. Capable citizen soldiers are necessary to protect the country, so people should be allowed to own and carry weapons.
3. In peace, soldiers are not to be housed at your home without your permission. In wartime, that can only be done with proper legislation.
4. Your house, your documents, your body (and person-hood), the items you own, are safe from search or seizure without a reason. That reason shall be affirmed under oath to support a requested warrant with defined person and place to be searched.
5. The government cannot hold someone for "Capital Crimes" without indictment in a grand jury; with exceptions given to action by armed forces or the militia in time of war. For the same offense, a person's life and limb cannot be twice put in jeopardy. A person cannot be forced to witness against himself. Loss of life, liberty or property must be according to the law. Private property cannot be seized for public without sufficient compensation.
6. Trials for crimes must occur quickly and publicly and must be before an impartial jury in the legally defined district where the crime occurred. The accused has the right to know the charges and why the government thinks he is guilty, the right to actually face the accuser, the right to require witnesses to testify for him, and to have a defense attorney.
7. For civil cases involving more than $20 or $20 worth of property, jury trials are available. Once tried before a jury, the facts presented cannot be used again, unless per common law.
8. There shall not be excessive fines, excessive bail, nor cruel and unusual punishments.
9. The rights listed in the Constitution do not mean that people do not have other rights.
10. Powers not given the (federal government) by the Constitution nor restricted to the individual states by the Constitution belong to the states, or to the people.
Literal text: http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html
Writing the Bill of Rights in my own language - and writing just what is written, not interpreting was an interesting exercise. Some of the items leave a lot of wiggle room. Others call for major review. For example in this day, $20 is probably too low a threshold.