The Twenty Seventh Amendment

"No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened."

This amendment makes it so Senators and Representatives cannot give themselves a pay raise in the same year of Congress that they work in.  If they do give themselves a pay raise and the people are unhappy with that then they must answer to them; this was a way of checks and balances.  

This is an image showing the difference in income between the working class and the people who work in Congress.  Seems really ridiculous no?!?

This is a comic demonstrating how it seems that many sacrifice when the economy is going through a troubling time, but how that doesn't seem to affect Congressmen or people of the High Upper Class. 

The Twenty Sixth Amendment

"Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

Section 2.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

This amendment made the legal voting age 18 years old for all state and federal elections.  

This image reflects how influential the votes of the younger generation could be if they took a part in federal and state elections.  

This is a figure showing the percentage of voters by age and how it has changed over the years. It is overwhelming that the percentage of younger people that vote is so low compared to the older ages.  What is this saying about the youth of the United States? 

The Twenty Fifth Amendment

"Section 1.

In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President. 

Section 2.

Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3.

Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President. 

Section 4.

Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President. 

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.  Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty eight hours for that purpose if not in session.  If the Congress, within twenty one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office."

This amendment describes the succession of the presidency if any should happen to the president or if he/she is unable to continue their position in office.  When there is no Vice President in office the President appoints one, and the Senate approves.

This image shows the current line of succession as of 2014 if anything were to happen to President Obama.  

I think this is a comical view on how people see the office of Obama, and how they think that anyone taking over office would be better than him (even if that person had no experience).  

The Twenty Fourth Amendment

"Section 1.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors or President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Section 2.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

This amendment prohibited the federal and state governments from imposing poll taxes before a citizen can participate in an election.  Before this amendment was proposed and ratified it was a way to exclude certain groups of people from voting.   

This cartoon is a depiction of the poll tax and how it stopped millions of people from being able to vote because they couldn't afford it.  

This image shows how many people were upset because the government tried to force people from their right to vote after various amendments of the Constitution had given citizens those rights.  

The Twenty Third Amendment

"Section 1.

The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint  in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors  of President and Vice President equal to the number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be the electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

 

Section 2.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."

This amended Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution.  It gave the District of Columbia the same amount of electors as the smallest state in the Union, which currently means it has 3 electoral votes.  The district still does not have any actual congressman in the House or Senate.  

This comic is an illustration of how weird it seems that a District is allowed to have it's own electoral votes but not any one to represent it in the House and Senate.  

This is an image of a license plate in the District of Columbia, they are saying that it isn't very fair that they are taxed yet they are not allowed to be represented.  

The Twenty Second Amendment

"Section 1.

No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once.  But this Article shall not apply yo any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term. 

Section 2.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress."

This amendment had to do with the President’s limits on term.  This was initially suggested by Thomas Jefferson because without such a limit the presidency could last for a lifetime.  George Washington had also thought the same way and only served two terms because he didn't want to be seen as a king.  The only Presidents that ran for a third term were Ulysses S. Grant and F.D.R. and this was because people didn't like to change the President during a time of war because they wanted to keep the country unified.  

This Calvin and Hobbes comic is a funny way to look at the terms of the president, and in Calvin's case the terms that his father is in "office".  

This caricature of Obama and Clinton put a funny twist on how many have feelings of wanting to repeal the 22nd amendment.  I also think that Clinton wouldn't mind being a President again for a third term.

The Twenty First Amendment

"Section 1. 

The eighteenth article of amendment of the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed. 

Section 2.

The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3.

This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress."

This amendment repealed the eighteenth amendment because it was overall a bad idea.  The only real people that benefited from the eighteenth amendment was organized crime.  Franklin D. Roosevelt was the one that campaigned for the repeal during the Depression because he wanted to boost the economy and have Tax Revenues.  

This image just shows how excited that people were that the prohibition era had ended, and that people continue to "celebrate" the anniversary of this amendment.  

This image also shows how happy people were to get their alcohol back, and not only was it a happy time for them but a happy time for the boosting of the economy and to get back on our feet from the Great Depression.