The Third House of Congress

By John Knox

This book details a proposal for a constitutional amendment to create a Third House of Congress comprised of tribunes, appointed by lot.

In the last century, the American system of representation was changed. These changes have had consequences. These consequences have created a dangerous imbalance between the common interests and the particular interests within the country. This imbalance is not well understood, even in high precincts, and many of the ideas currently esteemed by the population support the conditions of the imbalance. In part two, the Third House contains an account of the changes and the ideas supporting and discrediting those changes.

Elsewhere, the Third House of Congress contains the Third House Amendment, a description of how the Third House of Congress will address many of the systemic dysfunctions in our government and our strategy to actually enact the amendment.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 14, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524675677

John Knox

John Knox first became an observer of American politics during the Perot campaign of 1992. He has held a wide range of working class jobs. John is a lover of history, a fan of classic films, and literature. John wrote his Third House of Congress while watching, as so many Americans, were unable to change federal policies that imposed upon their lives.

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© 2017 John Knox. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/13/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5246-7568-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-7566-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-7567-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017903696

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CONTENTS

Part I The Remedy

Part II. What For?

Part III. What If?

Part IV. The Movement

Part V The Support

INTRODUCTION

The Third House of Congress is intended to serve as a charter for the movement to promote and enact the idea it contains.

INDICATIONS

We all know our government is off the rails. The instruments of self-governing we have inherited are not controlling the institutions we have inherited. We see indications of it daily. This condition undermines our ability to meet the challenges of this century. Each day we miss opportunities.

1. Government policy is rarely wise and up to date.

2. The two parties serve party interest before the interests of the country.

3. Campaigns are a circus.

4. Money influences every debate.

5. The Supreme Court infringes on the Legislative Branch.

6. The President infringes on the Legislative Branch

7. The Senate fails at oversight.

8. The House fails to control the purse strings.

9. Our wealth is squandered even as nothing gets done.

10. Business flees this environment.

11. Reform efforts fail to address the systemic causes.

12. Every day opportunities are missed and real people are hurt

Our form of government is sound. The remedy must not fundamentally alter our form of government, nor should it depart from the spirit in which it was founded.

THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

The Third House Amendment will establish and empower a Third House of United States Congress. But unlike the House and the Senate, the Third House of Congress will contain no politicians. The Third House is the Ordinary American House. Instead of campaigns favoring the party comrades, the wealthy, the cunning and charismatic, the Third House will be filled by Random Lot.

With this amendment we can send ordinary Americans to guard our interests in Washington. These Americans will be invested with an authority that enables them to slow down or stop federal legislation, to investigate any part of the government, and to take remedial action against waste, fraud, and corruption.

Think of this amendment as your reset button on the government.

Amendment XXVIII …

1. The Congress of the United States shall consist of Three Houses: The Senate; The House of Representatives; and The Assembly of United States Tribunes.

2. The Assembly of United States Tribunes shall be comprised of one Tribune from each state: to serve a term of one year only; each Tribune shall have one vote.

3. No person shall be Tribune who has not been five years a citizen of the United States and five years a resident of the state that they have been appointed to represent.

4. Each office of Tribune shall be filled using a two step process: the first step shall be a random drawing or a regular rotation, which shall determine the county, parish, independent city, or geographical division from which the Tribune shall be chosen; the second step shall be a random drawing to appoint the Tribune (the person chosen by the drawing may refuse service or designate an alternate to serve in their stead). The appointment process shall be held by the states, shall be completed not less than one year prior to vacancies, and shall be repeated until the appointment is accepted.

5. Each Tribune shall be subject to recall at any time by state referendum. The Tribune may be impeached by the legislature of the state that they are representing for any criminal indictment occurring while the Tribune is in office.

6. The Assembly may alter the starting and ending times of the terms of any part of the whole Assembly by unanimous vote, providing that no Tribune is enabled to serve for more than one year as a result.

7. If vacancies happen, by resignation or otherwise, the chosen successor to that office may serve, pro tempore, until the new term begins, through which they may serve as usual. If the successor is not available, the executive of the state may make temporary appointments.

8. The Assembly shall appoint a chief fiduciary officer who shall serve during good behavior, who shall be responsible for the correct and effective performance of the Assembly and who shall be accountable for any failures thereof. The Assembly shall elect a presiding Tribune and form committees as needed; but no authority shall be invested by internal organizational resolutions.

9. The Assembly shall be a full and coequal House of United States Congress; shall be invested with all duties, powers and immunities common to the Senate and the House of Representatives (except those listed herein); and each Tribune shall receive equal compensation, which shall to be paid out of the United States Treasury.

10. The Assembly shall not be privileged to secret matters of national security.

11. Every article of legislation approved by the Assembly is entitled to a timely vote by the United States Senate and the House of Representatives.

12. Every article requiring the concurrence of congress shall be sent to the Assembly; any part approved by the Assembly may proceed and be made final; any part not approved by the Assembly shall be returned, together with objections, to the house in which it originated, who shall proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsiderations two-thirds of that house vote to affirm, than it shall be sent, together with objections, to the other house to be reconsidered. If two-thirds of that house vote to affirm then the article may proceed and be made final. If the Assembly makes no returns or objections within ten days of receipt (excepting Sundays) the article may proceed and be made final. Any article having previously received two-thirds approving vote in both the Senate and the House of Representatives is exempt from this section.

13. The Assembly is empowered to form commissions to investigate any United States government agency, official or employee for unconstitutional, unlawful, or unethical acts of public authority, and for incompetent performance of duties. The Assembly is empowered to investigate private persons and organizations who receive monies from the United States government (or otherwise act on behalf of United States Government agencies, officials or employees) for unconstitutional, unlawful, or unethical actions, and for incomplete or incompetent fulfillment of material obligations. Upon two-thirds resolution the Assembly may compel the reform of any United States government agency that is not specifically established by the constitution of the United States, impeach any United States government official who has not been elected by the people, compel the Senate to hear articles of impeachment against persons holding elected office in the United States government; or suspend United States contractual agreements with any private person or organization pending congressional action.

The structure, functions, and powers created by this amendment will restore an appropriate measure of control over the domestic policies of our government. This amendment will enable our people to better resist unwanted policies, and assist in initiating more favorable policies now and in the future. It will help us to put right some of the policies that have already been enacted.

PART I

THE REMEDY

What would you do as Tribune?

Individuals who are prepared to support a new representative institution in their government should understand its operations. This part describes the essential aspects of our cause.

(Paragraph 1) The Congress of the United States shall consist of three houses: the Senate; the House of Representatives; and the Assembly of United States Tribunes.

The Assembly provides a different type of representation. It is constituted to reflect the diverse walks of life in America. The Senate and the House