James Madison in The Federalist Number 10 November 22, 1787, about Factions in that Large Factions in our elected representative would tend suppress the rights of those factions in the minority. Today our Factions are Republicans and Democrats in the large category with independents in the minority. Madison saw as one possible outcome of a faction who had a majority in the government would tend support the Faction’s supporters above all else and suppress the factions in the minority. In this scenario the republic would fall.
Keep this mind as we after 43 days of factional bickering and blame laying with a government that was shut down. Now that is ironic timing between the writing of the Federalist 10 and the reopening of the government from it’s longest shut down ever. We the people suffered while there were Gatsby Parties, Retreats for representatives and nobody wanting to do the job they were elected to do and refusing to compromise.
I believe it is time for a constitutional Amendment to prevent this. I would propose:
Congress MUST pass a COMPLETE budget funding ALL operations of the government and the President must sign said bill by October 1st of each year. Should the Congress and President fail to enact a COMPLETE Budget, Then the Government will continue to operate on the previous year’s Budget with no interference, such as funds redirection or reduction with the following exceptions: Any elected person, President, Senator, or Representative of the government shall lose their entire pay for the coming year. Further all of their support staff at any level from janitorial staff to aides and Cabinet Secretaries will be furloughed with full pay and benefits with the exception of Cabinet Secretaries until the new budget is passed and signed. The aforementioned elected persons will not be allowed to leave the capitol during this period or conduct any other business except for the budget. Congress shall be in Session for a minimum of 8 hours each and every day. If the Budget Bill is not passed by October 15th of the new budget year then Congress will be in session for 16 hours each and every day until a Budget Bill is passed.
Should the elected Officials not meet the October 1st deadline any Budget Bill MUST pass the House of Representatives and Senate by a two thirds majority in each. The President shall sign the new duly passed budget bill within one hour of its passage. Should the President fail to do so, the new Budget Bill will become law without the President’s signature and extend the President’s loss of support staff, travel authority, and other privileges for an additional 30 days is mandatory.
For the purposes of this amendment the Term “President” shall include the Vice-President except for signing unless the President is unable to perform his duty,