[Documment Quotations:] Quoations in light gray from source documents are for reference only annd are not part of the Constitution of the Nation of Pacifica.
This Constitution is a work in progress.
The largest and first article of the constitution will be an extensive bill of rights.
History shows that those in power tend to want to restrict the rights of the people as much as possible, while giving rights to titles or property. Unfortunately, there is a tendency to use "strict construtionism" to limit the rights of the people to only those rights enumerated.
Following the example of the United States of America, the government will be split into three competing branches (the legislative, the executive, and the judiciary), serving as balances against each other’s power.
The legislative branch connsists of a Congress consisting of two houses, a lower House of Representatives and a higher Senate.
The House of Representatives will combine directly elected local Representatives, directly elected party representatives, Councils of Hundreds, and the Council of Peoples. The Councils of Hundreds similar to John Locke ’s proposal will be implemented nationwide, with the highest level Council of 100 being members of the House of Representatives. The Council of Peoples will have representatives from the many peoples.
The Senate will be a combination of two direct Senators from each state, a direct Senator from each major city, the governor or chief executive of each state, the President, the Vice President, each Chancellor, members of the Supreme Court, former Presidents and Chief Justcies, and a few other honored citizens.
Congress shall pass laws and control expenditures in a system similar to that of the United States of America. The Senate shall also approve judicial and executive appointments, ambassadorships, military commissions, treaties, and trade agrreements. Congress shall review major policy and examine the operation of the government and corporations.
The Preamble serves as a basic statement of the hopes and dreams for the nation and government.
Article I (1) guarantees the rights and freedom of the people. Rights are placed first in the Constitution to emphasize their importance.
Article II (2) covers authority of the Constitution.
Article IV (4) establishes the legislative branch of government. Three equal branches of government serve as a check and balance on power. Congress is divided into two houses, the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The House of Representatives has short terms (two years) and term limits to encourage responsiveness to changes in public mood. 501 seats; 300 members are directly elected by popular vote in districts proportional to actual population; remaining 201 members are allocated at large nationally on the basis of each party’s popular vote. All taxation and revenue bills must initiate in the House of Representatives.
The Senate has long terms and no term limits to encourage thoughtful deliberation. In addition to two directly elected Senators from each state, along with the executive authority (usually a governor) from each state, 33 Senators allocated on the basis of each party’s popular vote, the members of the Supreme Court, the current President, Vice President, and other elected executive officers, and lifetime membership for former Presidents and Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and other leading citizens.
Article V (5) establishes the executive branch of government. Three equal branches of government serve as a check and balance on power. The executive branch is led by a President and Vice President, but several additional elective officers serve as a check and balance on the power of the President.
Article VI (6) establishes the judicial branch of government. Three equal branches of government serve as a check and balance on power. The judiciary is headed by a Supreme Court.
Article VII (7) establishes a Constitutional Council to decide constituional questions..
Article VIII (8) covers elections and suffrage.
Article XIII (14) covers general government, including the relations between the Nation of Pacifica, the states, and the citizens.
Article XXXXX (50) covers Amendments to and revision of the Constitution.
Article XXXXXI (51) covers Ratification of the Constitution and schedule of transtitional measures to the new nation.
This Constitution is a work in progress.
