it’s got a strong framework that shifts from abstract freedoms to concrete rights like healthcare, housing, and environmental protection—basically saying “rights should actually feel like rights.” The part about digital privacy rights is refreshingly modern. It also ties democracy to real structural reforms, not just lofty ideals politicians can blow off.
But what’s missing is how any of this would actually be enforced—who guarantees these rights, and who gets in trouble when they’re violated. Some provisions, like abolishing billionaire wealth, read more like a mission statement than something a court could actually enforce.
We all know what you're talking about when you refer to billionaire wealth. If you want these rights to be durable obscene/immoral wealth is better defined as a ratio than a number. A few years of high inflation and our working poor may be billionaires while our kelptocrats are quintillionaires. That's orders of magnitude greater inequality than today.
Yes. I remember the first time you posted this I think on a facebook page and I tried to relocate it for reference. I love it. And would like us to build upon it along side the historic bill of rights as an updated companion to the original.
This is an excellent start. Article VII should include a requirement that elections are no longer allowed to be privately funded. Public funding only. Eliminate the bribery that results from the wealthy being able to “buy” candidates and influence legislation that benefits them to the detriment of “We the People”.
Thank you Mary for re-posting this! Great food for thought and action!!! Let's do this...am going to forward your draft to everyone I know. Thanks, Petra
I think the only one I have trouble with is Privacy as worded. It's too broad. Would it mean that the IRS couldn't audit a billionaire or a scammer or a functioning DOJ couldn't build a case for fraud? Could you steal classified documents and refuse to let anyone search for them?
Privacy is a tricky thing. Yes, we need to be safe from government intrusion without judicial approval of probable cause. The 4th Amendment already does that--what we need is a rule that lets a person whose privacy has been unjustly actually get recompense. Yes there needs to be something that protects us, as Roe and Griswold did from laws that intrude on our most personal actions. But government also need to be able to demand information from citizens needed to run the government--from census data to all the myriad statistics, drawn from such information, that let us know how the economy is functioning and who NEEDS the help the other suggested amendments offer.
As for privacy from corporations, what we object to most is already covered by the part about consent. Terms and conditions for most of what we use most already cover the basic rule about privacy from corporations: we consent to them and that consent is revocable--we just have to stop using the products that have intrusive privacy policies. Don't like Google or Facebook tracking you or selling your info? Use something else.
Basically, we already have pretty explicit privacy laws, much reduced in one area by Dobbs. Again, the problem is getting relief from those who break them.
So glad you reposted this. There needs to come a time that we all need to rethink so much and need to either shut up or put up with all this crap from this regime and the illegality coming from Congress and DC.
We are the people that move this nation and seem to have little representation from those elected officials now on a two week vacation while so many are working for free like TSA Agents. Imagine over a six month time frame being totally unsure you’re going to get paid for the long days of work. Because that’s the reality as Congress still gets paid even on their long vacations.. and do not govern one bit or listen to those who placed them in their jobs..
A good start, but we must also tackle gun rights, and severely restrict in the president’s pardon power!
Mary, I’m glad you started this
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it’s got a strong framework that shifts from abstract freedoms to concrete rights like healthcare, housing, and environmental protection—basically saying “rights should actually feel like rights.” The part about digital privacy rights is refreshingly modern. It also ties democracy to real structural reforms, not just lofty ideals politicians can blow off.
But what’s missing is how any of this would actually be enforced—who guarantees these rights, and who gets in trouble when they’re violated. Some provisions, like abolishing billionaire wealth, read more like a mission statement than something a court could actually enforce.
Overall, though, great job
Also, when all this is over, we need to fix our democracy too:
https://jaywilson1.substack.com/p/the-democratic-road-map?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
We all know what you're talking about when you refer to billionaire wealth. If you want these rights to be durable obscene/immoral wealth is better defined as a ratio than a number. A few years of high inflation and our working poor may be billionaires while our kelptocrats are quintillionaires. That's orders of magnitude greater inequality than today.
Makes my heart full to think of a future where these rights are enshrined.
Yes. I remember the first time you posted this I think on a facebook page and I tried to relocate it for reference. I love it. And would like us to build upon it along side the historic bill of rights as an updated companion to the original.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!!!
This is an excellent start. Article VII should include a requirement that elections are no longer allowed to be privately funded. Public funding only. Eliminate the bribery that results from the wealthy being able to “buy” candidates and influence legislation that benefits them to the detriment of “We the People”.
Thank you Mary for re-posting this! Great food for thought and action!!! Let's do this...am going to forward your draft to everyone I know. Thanks, Petra
I think the only one I have trouble with is Privacy as worded. It's too broad. Would it mean that the IRS couldn't audit a billionaire or a scammer or a functioning DOJ couldn't build a case for fraud? Could you steal classified documents and refuse to let anyone search for them?
Privacy is a tricky thing. Yes, we need to be safe from government intrusion without judicial approval of probable cause. The 4th Amendment already does that--what we need is a rule that lets a person whose privacy has been unjustly actually get recompense. Yes there needs to be something that protects us, as Roe and Griswold did from laws that intrude on our most personal actions. But government also need to be able to demand information from citizens needed to run the government--from census data to all the myriad statistics, drawn from such information, that let us know how the economy is functioning and who NEEDS the help the other suggested amendments offer.
As for privacy from corporations, what we object to most is already covered by the part about consent. Terms and conditions for most of what we use most already cover the basic rule about privacy from corporations: we consent to them and that consent is revocable--we just have to stop using the products that have intrusive privacy policies. Don't like Google or Facebook tracking you or selling your info? Use something else.
Basically, we already have pretty explicit privacy laws, much reduced in one area by Dobbs. Again, the problem is getting relief from those who break them.
So glad you reposted this. There needs to come a time that we all need to rethink so much and need to either shut up or put up with all this crap from this regime and the illegality coming from Congress and DC.
We are the people that move this nation and seem to have little representation from those elected officials now on a two week vacation while so many are working for free like TSA Agents. Imagine over a six month time frame being totally unsure you’re going to get paid for the long days of work. Because that’s the reality as Congress still gets paid even on their long vacations.. and do not govern one bit or listen to those who placed them in their jobs..
I wonder if we can attach your Bill of Rights to the Constitution's?