Amendment XXVII

AMENDMENT XXVII

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 27th amendment deals with pay raises or decreases for members of Congress. Changes to Congressional pay must take effect after the next term of office for the representatives. This means that another election would have had to occur before the pay raises can take effect.

Media 1:

This amendment restricts congress from giving themselves a raise, but instead grants the next election a raise.  Unfortunately, due to the 95% re-election rate in congress, they are essentially still giving themselves raises while the economy of the US suffers. 

Media 2:

This is a video of Alec Baldwin dramatically reading the 27th amendment for the People of the American Way.  It was an overall win to have this law put into effect, as it restricted congress from voting to give themselves raises. 

Amendment XXVI

AMENDMENT XXVI

The right of citizens of the United States, who are 18 years of age or older, to vote, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of age.

This amendment clarifies that the voting age is 18 years old. 

Media 1:

This is a picture of young adults petitioning for the right to vote at 18 years old.  If they could be shipped off to war at 18, they should at least be granted the right to vote about issues concerning the war. 

Media 2:

Although young adults have been granted the right to vote at 18, many have not taken advantage of this right, or are uneducated about politics.  It is important to emphasize and encourage voting and political knowledge to our youth. 

Amendment XXV

AMENDMENT XXV

SECTION 1.

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

SECTION 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.

SECTION 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.

SECTION 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 clarifies the process by which the Vice President would take over in the case that the President could no longer serve his duties.  Once a vacancy for Vice President emerges, Congress must vote on the candidate elected by the new President.  The President can also temporarily make the Vice President President with a written declaration, but the original President must be voted back into his position by congress.

Media 1:

This political cartoon depicts Gerald Ford, the first Vice President to be voted in by congress, as an angelic figure.  He was the last "man of the people" and was well liked by both Democrats and Republicans.

Media 2:

This political cartoon is making fun of Dick Cheney, saying that even though President Bush was not well-liked in office, Cheney as President would be much worse.  Due to the 25th amendment Cheney would take over as President in the event that Bush was impeached.

Amendment XXIV

AMENDMENT XXIV

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.

This amendment eliminated poll taxes and made it illegal for states to charge citizens to vote. 

Media 1:

This cartoon is depicting the ways the states try to get around poll tax, but requiring a photo ID costs money, and could therefore be considered a poll tax if people have to spend money on an ID to vote.

Media 2:

This is an example of a poll tax ordinance from the year of 1918.  People were required to pay a fee to cast their votes in the election, therefore making the "democracy" not free for all, but free for those who could afford the poll tax. 

Amendment XXIII

AMENDMENT XXIII

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.

This amendment granted Washington DC the right to an electoral college, essentially making it's vote equivalent to a state's vote.

Media 1:

This picture shows the irony of Washington DC, especially the White House, as being a figure of liberty and democracy, yet the residents of this district were not represented in the electoral college before the 23rd amendment. 

Media 2:

This is a second cartoon emphasizing the unjust condition the residents of Washington DC were in before the 23rd amendment.  As citizens of the United States, they should have the right to vote, but without an electoral college they did not have any say in the presidential campaign. 

Amendment XXII

AMENDMENT XXII

SECTION 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.

SECTION 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 the terms that the president can officially serve.  The president cannot be elected more than twice for two four year periods, and cannot serve longer than 10 years. 

Media 1:

Bill Clinton was a popular president until his impeachment, and therefore many Americans wanted him to continue to act as our president.  This cartoon says that Clinton wouldn't mind serving longer than the two term limit proposed in the 22nd amendment.

Media 2:

This cartoon is emphasizing the importance of having set term limits for the president.  It prevents the president from becoming a type of "King" figure and gives dissatisfied Americans the chance for change. 

Amendment XXI

AMENDMENT XXI

SECTION 1.

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

SECTION 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.

SECTION 3.

This 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.

This amendment repealed the 18th amendment, effectively dismissing the prohibition of alcohol.  The prohibition of alcohol actually increased crime rates and decreased job efficiency - the exact opposite of the effect the government hoped for.  It also caused a lot of illegal underground crime that eventually made the Kennedy family very wealthy. 

Media 1:

This is a picture of a man celebrating the re-legalization of alcohol consumption and distribution due to the 21st amendment. 

Media 2:

American was celebrating the end of prohibition, clearly an indication that the majority of the nation was not in favor of the ratification of the 18th amendment. 

Amendment XX

AMENDMENT XX

SECTION 1.

The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January, and the terms of Senators and Representatives at noon on the 3d day of January, of the years in which such terms would have ended if this article had not been ratified; and the terms of their successors shall then begin.

SECTION 2.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such meeting shall begin at noon on the 3d day of January, unless they shall by law appoint a different day.

SECTION 3.

If, at the time fixed for the beginning of the term of the President, the President elect shall have died, the Vice President elect shall become President. If a President shall not have been chosen before the time fixed for the beginning of his term, or if the President elect shall have failed to qualify, then the Vice President elect shall act as President until a President shall have qualified; and the Congress may by law provide for the case wherein neither a President elect nor a Vice President elect shall have qualified, declaring who shall then act as President, or the manner in which one who is to act shall be selected, and such person shall act accordingly until a President or Vice President shall have qualified.

SECTION 4.

The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

SECTION 5.

Sections 1 and 2 shall take effect on the 15th day of October following the ratification of this article.

SECTION 6.

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.

The 20th amendment is a simple amendment that sets the dates at which federal government elected offices end. In also defines who succeeds the president if the president dies. 

Media 1:

Roosevelt was the first president to be sworn into office after the 20th amendment was added to the US Constitution.

Media 2:

This picture depicts congress as a "lame duck" for waiting so long to enact the 20th amendment.  Since then, congress has been referred to as a lame duck for several other policies it neglects to push through faster. 

Amendment XIX

AMENDMENT XIX

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

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

This amendment granted women the right to vote. 

Media 1:

This video is a parody of Lady Gaga's Bad Romance song and music video.  It incorporates the woman's suffrage battle and why it is important that woman get the opportunity to vote. 

Media 2:

This video is making fun of the ignorance of many Americans.  Many people do not even know what suffrage means, or the battle that woman went through to establish their right to vote.