To be eligible to be a member of congress, you should be able to pass a test on basic knowledge of the constitution of the United States of America. If you can’t pass you should not be able to vote on bills until you can pass.
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I recommend Hillsdale College’s free on line courses, maybe they would even set up classes in Washington D.C. that elected officials are required to attend and PASS. (Refresher every term.)
Here are some of their online classes:
- Introduction to the Constitution - 12 lessons - 4.5h total length
- Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution - 12 lessons - 10.5h total length
- Constitution 201 - 10 lessons - 7.5h total length
- Congress: How It Worked and Why It Doesn’t = 11 lessons - 8h total length (I need to take this one because I don’t think they can cover it is 8 hours.)
- The Federalist Papers - 10 lessons - 7h total length
There is less than 40 hours of classes that, at a minimum, should be required. And Hillsdale has 45 FREE courses covering Politics, Economics, Literature, Philosophy & Religion, and History. Since politicians know “they are by far” much smarter than the rest of us, this should be no sweat for them, right?
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Note: this post, " Knowledge of the Constitution" is an Observation not a detailed contribution.
I would agree that this should be an absolute prerequisite, but also add that every international covenant signed and ratified is also a part of the “Supreme Law of the Land” (ArtVI.C2.2.2 The Supremacy Clause), so they need to also be able to pass tests on basic knowledge of the international agreements as well.
These Signed & Ratified treaties are as follows:
| Treaty | Signature Date | Ratification Date |
|---|---|---|
| Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide | 9 Dec 1948 | 1988 |
| CAT - Convention against Torture and Other Cruel Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment | 18 Apr 1988 | 21 Oct 1994 |
| ICCPR - International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights | 05 Oct 1977 | 08 Jun 1992 |
| CERD - International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination | 28 Sep 1966 | 21 Oct 1994 |
| CRC-OP-AC - Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict | 05 Jul 2000 | 23 Dec 2002 |
| CRC-OP-SC - Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children child prostitution and child pornography | 05 Jul 2000 | 23 Dec 2002 |
Also worth noting: There are several treaties signed, but NOT ratified.
They are:
- The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women - ratified by every country around the world except the US, Iran, Somalia, and Sudan. The US signed it in 1980, but hasn’t ratified it
- the Convention on the Rights of the Child - the US is the ONLY nation-state that has failed to ratify this even though they signed it in 1989
- The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) signed n 1977 but never ratified
- the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
It’s up to a 2/3 majority in the Senate to agree to have the President sign it, for a treaty to be ratified. Every senate since the 70’s and 80’s have not moved forward with ratification of any of the aforementioned four.
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There should be an allotted timeframe in which Congress has to ratify a Treaty after signing it.
The act of signing binding contracts for show, but not abiding by it’s contents, is dishonesty and tyranny on an international level.
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I’m out of votes, but this should happen.
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Agreed @EthanHowardMfrr,
One finds it perplexing that the US wouldn’t ratify the Con vention on the Rights of the Child, but would ratify only two subcategories of treaties related to armed conflict, prostitution, and pornography. Why would the United States NOT ratify the convention itself, being the only country not to do so? I would like to see for the record, what their reservations are for which amendment number and why.
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Personally I think this dips into politicized agendas by political organizations. There are lots of treaties that promote a ‘legalized’ approach to war profiteering, sex trafficing, and socially deplorable markets; look further into history and the lack of required ratification was used as a tool of ‘legalized’ imperial expansion westward.
Government accountability, further checks and balances, and pure legislative transparency seem to be the direction we need to take to bring socially acceptable agendas back to Congress.
The first step, you’ve already taken. Education. Informing the public of the issue, and creating/nutrituring a proper platform to move the agenda of the People forward, which is the preservation of our lives, liberties, and happiness; the only object of government.
Personally, I believe this issue to be a direct result of improper Apportionment of our representation and taxes, and the lack of/subvertion of accountability within our federal government.
I love pre 1948 US Statutes at Large. Publication of all legislation, executive orders, and treaties is something we should require from our government.
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From my understanding there are multiple Elected Officials that never took the Oath for Office.
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@GodsRedeemed ‘Oath’ includes affirmation according to the rules of construction of Bills. Meaning they don’t have to.
Shannon,
I agree to a degree. I would also request that THEY, AND people that didn’t get at LEAST a B in Highschool, or passed after 1985 and didn’t get at least an A, or that are over 50yo should:
- pass a basic US history quiz, including what the US was like from the early 19th century on, INCLUDING slavery, basic customs, currency value, and taxes.
- pass a citizenship test
- pass an English test,
- pass a test by describing several landmark US Supreme court cases!
- PASS A MATH TEST!
The above would at least get rid of the GARBAGE we have there, get them to tell the TRUTH, and also remove a lot of problems.
Agreed but if the person can’t pass the test then why should they be allowed to be in any high government office. Furthermore, I think it should be taught in schools, broken down each article, so the students, understand each line, this will help in there future, to understand the government and how is should work as well when it’s time for them in the voting process they’ll understand the importance of voting.
Shannon, I agree with your premise but even if this were implemented, politics and party’s will negate the true benefit that I believe you are seeking.
How would you propose that side of the issue being resolved?