Election years are a great time to propose solutions to systemic American problems. Elections are Christmastime for dreaded ‘idea guys’ because political campaigns are looking for ideas. So let’s bounce some ideas around as the wheels of democracy get turning. So, a huge problem in America is holding rich and powerful leaders (let’s focus on the President and the Supreme Court for now) accountable. So, how could we make American leadership more accountable to Americans?
More turnover. Quite simply, I think America’s government and high authorities need a bill or a minor change to the Constitution (gasp!) to fix obvious oversights, and create more turnover in the federal government, as hard as that may seem. Or at least a couple of new lines to federal contracts to make sure the government functions with the same accountabilities of the average American.
Let’s start with the Supreme Court. Okay, quick sidebar. My father was a Provincial Criminal Court judge in Ontario. That is province in Canada. If he had been accepting undisclosed gifts and refusing to recuse himself from matters where he is personally involved with the case, he would have been fired. And it really says something about the Supreme Court of the United States. They are held to a lesser standard than a middling court in a middling, mediocre country. Simply a shameful state of affairs. The Supreme Court is buffoonish mockery the institution it is supposed to be; the final and decisive legal authority to protect the American people from injustice. Ha.
Also, the Criminal Court of Ontario had an age limit: 75. Quite reasonable, no? And if Trump can say out loud that he will effectively dismantle the Federal Government if elected, Biden should be able to say he would institute an age limit to the Supreme Court and the Presidency, even if it is merely a clause in the hiring paperwork moving forward (You sign a job application or contract when you join the Supreme Court, right? Or a contract? Something?) And maybe a clause in a reform bill that a judge can be fired for corruption or lawbreaking without a vote by Congress. In fact, those should be added to the job descriptions or whatever paperwork you fill out to work at a Federal Institution. Full stop. One simple change could drastically improve a disastrous institution.
But I do think it is fair to say the current Supreme Court with its 9 (9!) judges needs federal oversight and reform. Whether that’s more judges, a bill through congress, or a change to the constitution. The institution is broken and when something is this broken, you fix it.
Oh, and your constitution. It’s not a relic, you know. You can update it and you should. Maybe that’s where you could put the ‘no corruption, no felons, retirement age’ clause Biden could propose for the Presidency, to change topics rather abruptly. I think the Democratic Party should up the ante on Trump’s claim to completely redesign the Federal Government and offer transformative changes of their own. But small transformative changes. Namely, rules for dismissal and age limits. A new rule and a new limit. This will create more turnover in the government and opportunities for Americans.
This will hold the Federal Government to the correct standards. Not quite the same as the average American, because the government should conduct themselves to a higher standard as well. Hence the age limit. Also, why not add a hard count on number of felonies allowed for an elected official. Surely, we can all agree on a hard limit of 10. Fine, fine, 15. With 15 felony charges, the average American is in prison and is unemployable by any organization of repute. So, a felony charge limit of 20, I’ll settle for 20, should be a rule for elected office.
Our election officials should be held to high standards with clear consequences. As should appointed officials, like the Supreme Court. And yes, despite being Canadian (tee hee!) I have said ‘our’ a few times. Because as your neighbour and a member of the free world, I share in your leaders. Like it or not. But I love being Canadian. Oh God, you should try having a totally non-controversial Supreme Court of 9 Judges (Wait, Canada and America have the same number of judges on their Supreme Court? What?) is great. If nothing else, America might want to try 15 or 19 Supreme Court judges. Or 25. That’d be a good simple fix if bills or amendments are out of reach. More representation is great. Having accountable judges is great. Just sayin’.
And Joe Biden can push for and campaign on changes to make a rogue court and a rogue office of the Presidency accountable. And a few words on Biden. The poor man has survived a lifetime where he could have been outed any election cycle for nearly 50 years. The American people have had copious opportunity to get rid of Joe Biden. And they never have. Joe is a winner. Remember that Biden did not run in 2012 (thanks Obama.). If he had, with the wind of the Obama Administration at his back, he might have won against Donald Trump. So far, he is the only living Democrat who has ever beaten Donald Trump in a Federal Election. That is a fact. Hillary Clinton proved it is possible to lose to Donald Trump, something that was assumed to be unthinkable. But then Joe Biden secured the nomination (thanks Obama!) in 2020 and beat a terrible person who held the sacred office of the President of the United States and created a terrible supreme court.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden, I think, has been constantly discounted as a force to be reckoned with. But he has proven over and over again to be an incredibly effective and cautions (not an easy balance, folks) leader at every stage of his career. This is his twilight. His second term could be the culmination of a momentous career (some good, some bad) where he institutes the changes the American Government needs that no young pup hoping for re-election would ever have the balls to make. Like age limits.
Joe Biden is in a unique position to change and hand off better Federal institutions off to a new generation. That should be the ambition of any old man. Let’s let this old man realize some genuine ambition with a democratic supermajority in the Senate and the House for a constitutional amendment. Failing that, an age limit bill. Everyone who can vote, give Joe reins (or reigns, I suppose) because despite all the doubt and mockery Joe Biden, he is a force to be reckoned with. The man has survived among America’s Federal institutions long enough, a feat on its own terms, let him make changes through a democratic government free from Republican chaos. Joe can fix the Federal Government with modest reforms, a couple of relatively minor changes in the grand scheme of things. In fact, offering to add just a handful of words to Article II, Section 1, Clause 5 of the Constitution could fix a lot of problems quite handily:
No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years and no more than 75 years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States. No Person with more than 25 felony charges is eligible for the Presidency. Donald Trump is not eligible for the Presidency. Fuck that guy.
Fine, 25 felonies. I won’t go higher than that, I think 25 felonies is more than reasonable. And see? Just a few words. Hardly a glancing blow considering the size of the 7,591 word document, including amendments. Those changes, really just a minor amendment. Or any other way you thank think of establishing that. I’m open-minded, you know, and a simple, new rule could gradually make the Federal Government a more diverse and representative place. And the Supreme Court is a good place to slap with an age limit next. And more judges (9!). When it comes to the Federal Government, some new rules and limits are needed. Because the American government and the Constitution isn’t finished yet and it never will be. Changes, alongside changes in America, mean American institutions need constant revisions and updating.
If Joe Biden, on his way out the door, signs the change that says, ‘no employees over 75’, that would cement him as a transformative figure who opened up America’s government to more people. You know, just a minor change to the constitution. Or an age limit bill. Or something. To make America better. I hope we can all agree that changes for the better should always be put into place. Especially if they’re easy and obvious.
As an added bonus, age limits create a more diverse crowd. So to the New York Times, your whining and griping and give Biden a second term so he can head off into the sunset on his own terms. Think of Biden as the old sheriff going out for one ride. He knows this is the end. We know it. One way or another, this is the end for Biden. Either a loss to Donald Trump (!), you know, getting shot in the back by the village idiot before he even saddles his horse, or a second term to seek that horizon on his trusty old steed, America. So, I say to America, good grief, elect the man. He could make a simple change or two could make America so much better, see ‘The Colvin Amendment’ above. You saw it here first.
Alex Colvin 