THE 28TH AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

WITNESSETH THIS 28TH AMENDMENT (“28th Amendment”) OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THESE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (as previously amended, “Constitution”) proposed and ratified by the controlling voice and vote of the delegates (“Delegates”) of the first ever People’s National Constitutional Convention (“Convention”) duly assembled and convened in New Orleans, Louisiana on the 4th and 5th days of July, 20__ and as subscribed and acknowledged on their behalf below by the Secretary of the Convention:

PREAMBLES

• Priority. The priority of our elected and appointed public representatives must be to serve and not to be served.
• Integrity. Undue influence in our government has reached epidemic proportions and must be eliminated.
• Means. Amendment of the Constitution of these United States of America by “we the people,” independent of and unencumbered by our elected and appointed public representatives, is the only perceived realistic means by which to place the emphasis back on public service and to remove undue influence in our government.

TERMS

1.   Maximum Term of Service.  No elected public representative shall hold any public office for a total of more than two terms of any such office as such term is presently determined.

2.   Campaign Funding.  No contributions shall hereafter be made to the funding of any election campaign for any public office and all such contributions previously made and not previously expended shall promptly be remitted to the U.S. Treasury by the holder or holders thereof. Hereafter, the sole means of funding election campaigns shall be identical in amount for all candidates for that office, shall be funded out of the U.S. Treasury, and shall be in an amount as fixed from time to time by the Congress of the United States not to exceed 10% of the greatest reported amount previously spent campaigning by any candidate for such respective public office reasonably adjusted annually for inflation.

3.   Compensation and Expense Reimbursement; No Lobbying.  Hereafter, the sole compensation for each public office shall equal two-thirds of present compensation for each such public office reasonably adjusted annually for inflation. Expense reimbursement for expenses incurred in connection with such public office shall be strictly limited to reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket unaffiliated third-party documented expenses first incurred and paid in full. In no calendar year shall the amount of such reimbursement exceed one-third of the compensation permitted for such public office. No donations or gifts, in cash and/or in property, including travel, shall hereafter be made to, or accepted by, any public official or any candidate for any public office, provided, however, that such public officials or announced candidates may accept meals or sports or other tickets in the town in which such public official or announced candidate resides or works so long as in the company of the donor. No public official or announced candidate for public office shall act as a lobbyist or engage in any act of lobbying any public official, any candidate for public office, or any governmental body or agency at any time within three full years following the date on which such person leaves public office or is no longer a candidate for public office.

4.   No Special Treatment or Status.  No law shall hereafter be enacted that shall provide any benefit to any elected or appointed public official not generally provided to all Americans or shall exempt any elected or appointed public official from any obligation generally imposed on all Americans, provided, however, that current elected and appointed public officials shall be entitled to retain all benefits previously granted by law.

5.   Voter Eligibility.  Solely in order to remain eligible to vote, all Americans receiving welfare benefits of any kind and in any amount shall regularly and diligently seek gainful employment and, in the absence of such gainful employment opportunities, shall provide public works assistance as from time to time directed by the federal agency then administering such public works projects, in all cases of such employment and/or assistance reasonably consistent with and compassionately subject to their health, skill, and ability to be trained.

6.   Inconsistencies.  In the event of any inconsistencies between the terms and conditions of this 28th Amendment and the terms and conditions of the Constitution and/or any other constitutions, laws and/or judicial decisions of this country or any of its subparts, the terms and conditions of this 28th Amendment shall strictly control.

7.   Severability.  In the event the Supreme Court of these United States of America, or any other court of competent jurisdiction, shall find any of the terms or conditions of this 28th Amendment to be unlawful or otherwise invalid, this 28th Amendment shall, without the execution of any further documents or the necessity of any further action, automatically be deemed revised to the minimum extent necessary to give due regard to the fullest extent possible to the intentions, terms, and conditions of this 28th Amendment.

8.   Additional Provisions.  The violation of any provision of this 28th Amendment shall be a criminal felony. The District Courts of these United States shall have original jurisdiction to interpret and apply the provisions of this 28th Amendment. The effective date of this 28th Amendment shall be the date and year first above written.