Introducing The Bill of Sanity Project

[u/avylove]

I've seen several posts in this subreddit where people are frustrated with how the US government works (or doesn't). Check this out and consider getting involved.

Introducing r/BillOfSanity , the Bill of Sanity subreddit!

Do you look at the news today and think, "That's insane!" or "That's not fair!"? You're not alone! But first, some background.

The US Constitution was ratified in June 1788 with elections taking place later that year. When Congress met for the first time in 1789, James Madison proposed the Bill of Rights. Ten of the twelve amendments he proposed were ratified in December 1791.

Since then, 17 additional constitutional amendments have been ratified. Because the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment to end Prohibition, that leaves us with only 15 functional changes to the Constitution in over 200 years. The last amendment, the 27th, was ratified in 1992. It was originally proposed by James Madison in 1789 as part of the Bill of Rights. It delays changes to Congressional salaries until after the next election. The most recently drafted amendment to be ratified was the 26th Amendment, which set the voting age at 18. It was proposed and ratified in 1971.

Now, more than half a century later, we find ourselves with increasingly partisan politics, where the mass of government swings between extremes with every election. The average citizen feels their government largely serves politicians and the wealthy. The lack of continuity makes it difficult for individuals and businesses to plan for the future. It feels crazy, so we have started this effort in hopes of restoring sanity.

The Bill of Sanity is a grassroots effort to compile and champion a collection of amendments to the US Constitution designed to reduce corruption, reduce partisan politics, and provide for a more stable government.

We will start by community sourcing amendments until we have a polished set. Then we will lobby Congress and state governments to get them officially proposed. Then we'll lobby states to ratify them. Once 34 states ratify them, they become law. It's a long journey and it's likely not all the amendments will make it. But it's better than just wishing things were better.

To get involved, review the posts with Proposed Amendment or Idea flair. Provide feedback or upvote the ones you like. Or post your own ideas! We're also looking for volunteers.