A more perfect union: constitution hardening for cleaner politics & self-determination

Gary Bernstein
3 min readJun 26, 2021

To beat authoritarian regimes and global fascism, the USA needs to fix our republic, reduce deficit, get to 1.5B+ citizens & higher employed %, to multiply our GDP by ~5x+

We can’t just let in mostly low skilled people, while providing a safety net for all.

We have the food, energy, land, and all the resources we need.

Open up to those that’ll make us stronger, with:

Merit based immigration. Have at least one these: IQ > 115, top 15% in STEM tests, top 5% most followers, top 10% healthy body & symmetrical face (algo tested). Also: have financial support for family for 3 months, or have job waiting in the US. Also, if age > 8, know and swear to defend our constitution and Bill of Rights — the 1st, 2nd, and other amendments. If age > 10, know mid-level English. Can be tested in home countries for the cost-basis price.

But, only if we also:

Reform our govt monopoly eduction to have charter school choice, also for adults: read, write, STEM, salable skills

Limit bills max length of 10 pages (5k words)

Healthcare: $ per service is too high. Health providers must post prices. People or companies can then pay directly, and have insurance only for major catastrophes.

Match drug prices from the lowest price given to other wealthy countries.

Right to try new medical procedures

No incentivized medical procedures

Replace unemployment & welfare with UBI

Support all children via UBI, but no special extras for single moms, as that incentivizes fatherlessness & that’s correlated w high crime

Violent & serious crimes have min federal jail time. Recent immigrants deported on 1st offense

As usual, church and state remains separate

Option for private social security, and all people pay into a fund for themselves, not older people, because that’s like a ponzi scheme

Cut govt programs by 10% per year across the board until the budget is balanced, and 10% below budget so long as there’s debt

4 year term fed congress term limits, starting 8 years from now

Judges. Supreme Court. Greater of 39 judges, or 0.000001% of population. Must be odd number. Elected by reps. 20 year term limits

1 rep per 1000 people. Yes, ~350,000 congressmen. They don’t work in corrupt DC. They work from home, where you can discuss with them — your neighbors. It’s much harder to bribe 350,000 people in as many locations, too.

Gerrymandering solution: every 100k people district chooses 100 reps, not 1k for 1 rep

Rep salary is the local median & the rep doesn’t have to leave their previous job. This makes it so that real normal people can partake in govt, & not lose their homes if the median salary is a huge pay cut for them

Fractional voting power by rep. 1521 people gets 1.521 rep votes

TBD: Senators by population, like congressmen. Pro: allow states to break off easily, to reflect the will of the people, without changing party deadlock. Con: smaller changing states may lose power to fed. Can reorg to combat fed, but may not do it

Federal income tax limit is 30%

30% budget for national defense. 30% for UBI. 20% child & adult school choice vouchers. 10% other. 10% pay off debts or go to the other items

New States: 1/1,000 of national population or land is needed to form new states in contiguous land areas. No permission is needed

New states must begin with this same constitution: same reps per person, number of supreme court judges, and voting laws. New state sales & taxes is initially 0% and are not to exceed 15% without amendment.

Cities are like sub-states, and can form or break off from other cities by 1000+ people. City sales & income tax starts at 0% and are not to exceed 15% without amendment.

New state and city budgets: 30% budget for police, fire, roads, parks, transportation, infrastructure. 30% UBI. 20% school vouchers. 10% other. 10% pay off debts or go to the other items

Voter ID + paper ballots + video streaming of every counting station at all levels (fed state city)

Complete package in 1 single bill or even a constitutional amendment, for all the above items

All sides need to compromise, but all sides will also win

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