Amendment 27: Limiting Changes to Congressional Pay

"No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened."

The final amendment mandates that all laws that increase the pay of legislators cannot go into effect until after an election.  It was created to prevent legislators from taking advantage of their high positions by attempting to get themselves more money.

This man carting a wheelbarrow full of money gently makes fun of what the twenty-seventh amendment is prohibiting.  Any laws legislators pass to increase their own paychecks will not take effect until after their term is done.

"Part-Time Congress Could Accomplish More with Less"

The above news article published by Yahoo News discusses the advantages if representatives from Congress worked part-time.  In addition to tremendous operating cuts, this would allow the members to focus more on the issues that really matter as opposed to trivial matters.  This applies to the 27th amendment because it would reduce congressional pay from full-time employees to part-time.

Amendment 26: Voting Age Set to 18 Years

"1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

The twenty-sixth amendment requires citizens of the United States to be at least eighteen years older in order to vote.

Rock the Vote

The above link directs to the Rock the Vote foundation.  Over the last two decades, Rock the Vote has registered more young people to vote than any other organization or campaign.  The link provides information on who young voters are and how to better involve them so their voices are heard.

This humorous clip from the Onion News Network talks about election results being leaked before voting even takes place.  One remark, "this country is based on the fantasy that the government is the voice of the people," mocks many false illusions the general public has about how their votes do not make a difference.  In fact, each individual vote does make a difference because it brings the public one step closer to what they want.

Amendment 25: Presidential Disability and Succession

"1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other 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 or 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 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."

This amendment describes what must take place if the president is disabled or passes away.  There is protocol on who succeeds.  In total, there are seventeen individuals in line to take over if something was to happen to the president.

The twenty-fifth amendment was implemented when past President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.  Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn into office because the vice president is first in line for succession.  With this amendment, chaos in the nation was somewhat regulated because a plan was already in place in case of such a tragedy.

Executive Orders by Tom Clancy is a novel about the protagonist being next in line for succession after the President and the majority of his cabinet are killed in a terrorist attack.  Although slightly unrealistic, this literary work accurately portrays the line of presidential succession as dictated by the twenty-fifth amendment.

Amendment 24: Poll Tax Barred

"1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

The twenty-fourth amendment states that no tax can be charged to vote for any federal office.

The above is a copy of a poll tax receipt.  This was given to each voter after they voted.  

This clip discusses how poll taxes are prohibited so voting is not limited to the wealthy.  However, the amount of time it takes to vote serves as a pseudo poll tax.  For instance, voting takes anywhere from two to six hours, depending on the location.  Not many jobs are happy to allow their employees to take this much leave just to vote.  This discourages many voters from voting because they do not have the time to do so.

Amendment 23: Presidential Vote for District of Columbia

"1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

This amendment gives the Washington D.C. the right to three electors in Presidential elections.  Washington D.C. can only have the same number of electors as the minimum held by any state in the United States.  Currently, the smallest number of electors is for Rhode Island and they have three, giving Washington D.C. three votes.

The above photograph is an example of a sign a resident of Washington D.C. might hold before the twenty-second amendment was passed.  Being a citizen of the United States should guarantee that all votes are counted, despite which area you reside in.

Although Washington D.C. made progress with the twenty-second amendment by receiving three electoral votes for president, D.C. still does not have representation in the Senate.  Currently, there are plans to change this so the District of Columbia has a seat and a vote.

Amendment 22: Presidential Term Limits

"1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress."

This amendment defines how long a presidential term can be.  Each term is four years and no president can exceed two terms.

Each president is only allowed to stay in office for a maximum of two terms.  This encourages turnover so the nation does not stay under only one type of leadership and has the potential to expand from various perspectives.

In this interview with MSNBC, former President Bill Clinton asserted that presidents should be allowed to serve a third or even fourth term in office but only after they took time off following their second term.  He attributes this change to longer life expectancies and that some politicians have incredible leadership that the country can continue benefitting from.

Amendment 21: Amendment 18 Repealed

"1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

3. The article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress."

With this amendment, the eighteen amendment is reversed.  Alcohol is allowed to be consumed in the United States legally.

This clip is from a news report.  Politician A.J. Smith expresses his sentiments about the eighteen amendment being repealed and asserts that prohibition of alcohol serves no purpose or place in the Constitution.

The above is a copy of a newspaper from when the twenty-first amendment was passed.  As seen in the picture, many individuals protested prohibition by carrying signs and picketing to lift the ban.