Amendment XXVII (27)

Amendment XXVII

Ratified May 7, 1992.

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


     The twenty-seventh amendment is important because it prohibits any law that increases or decreases the salary of members of Congress from taking effect until the start of the next set of terms of office for Representatives. This amendment was intended as an addition to Article I, Section 6 which stated that "The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States". This serves as a restrain on the power of Congress to set its own salary without any accountability to the electorate. The Representative James Madison of Virginia introduced the amendment in 1789 and was finally ratified in 1992.

 

     This short comic represents what it was like before the twenty-seventh amendment was ratified. Congressman didn't have to make sacrifices like the average Joe because they were able to set their own salary.

 

 

     This is another good depiction of what congress was able to do before the twenty-seventh amendment was ratified. Congress was taking the average persons tax dollars and setting themselves their own salary. Thanks to the twenty-seventh amendment, this act was put to an end.

 

 

 

 

 

Amendment XXVI (26)

Amendment XXVI

Ratified July 1, 1971.

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.


     The twenty-sixth amendment is important because it gives US citizens that are eighteen years of age or older the right to vote, rather than keeping the voting age at twenty-one. The student activism movement protesting the Vietnam War became a big factor in driving to lower the voting age, because many young men were ineligible to vote and were conscripted to fight in the war, so they had no influence to the people sending them off to risk their lives. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first to state his support for age-based suffrage for those that are eighteen or older. Richard Nixon also helped out with lowering the age by signing an extension of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which required the voting age to be eighteen in all federal, state, and local elections. This was later changed to apply only to federal elections. The time span for the ratification of this amendment is the shortest of any of the amendments to date, which was three months and eight days.

     This is a group of young protestors walking around the streets holding up signs in effort to gain the support to pass the twenty-sixth amendment. Eighteen year olds weren't allowed to vote before the twenty-sixth amendment was passed and with the help of protestors like these, the twenty-sixth amendment finally was passed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8wTqOWuc8s

     This video talks about the right of the states to be able to lower their voting age but they aren't allowed to raise their voting age and whether or not this is right. One of the debaters makes a good point when he talks about some adults not having as much political knowledge and that the youth can hold just as much knowledge if not more than some of those adults.

 

Amendment XXV (25)

Amendment XXV

Ratified February 10, 1967.

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 of 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.



     The twenty-fifth amendment is important because it clarified a plan of succession for both the Vice President as well as the President. This amendment takes the place of Article II, Section I. This article doesn't state whether the Vice President becomes President, if he/she dies, resigns, is removed from office or is otherwise unable to discharge the powers of the presidency. The clause didn't state who had the power to declare the President to be deprived of his/her power and it also for filling the Vice Presidential vacancy prior to the next Presidential election. Kennedy's assassination was an event that really sparked Congress into taking action. Lyndon Johnson took over and then suffered from a heart attack which led to either John McCormack or Carl Hayden next in line to take over. The first effort was called the Keating-Kefauver proposal that was proposed right after Johnson's inauguration in 1965. The Bayh-Celler proposal in 1965 succeeded and soon would become the twenty-fifth amendment, with a little bit of tweaking from the House.



     This picture is the cover of a book that was written about the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan that happened in 1981. He became the first U.S. President to survive being shot in an assassination attempt. Without the twenty-fifth amendment, many people across the United States would be struck with confusion and wonder of who would take Presidency if Reagan had not survived.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CY20AR_dTEE

     This video clip shows the footage of the Kennedy assassination that brought the country deep into major distress. This criminal act sparked congress to create a plan of action. With Lyndon Johnson's support, Keating-Kefauver was proposed and the amendment was ratified in February of 1967.

Amendment XXIV (24)

Amendment XXIV

Ratified January 23, 1964.

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 for 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.


     The twenty-fourth amendment prohibits both congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax. After reconstruction, poll taxes appeared in southern states to try and prevent African Americans from voting and was held constitutional in the decision of Breedlove v. Suttles in 1937. Five states still retained a poll tax when the amendment was passed. Poll taxes also separated poor white voters who might sympathize with the populist party. Poll taxes were unconstitutional when it came to federal elections according to the amendment. Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections in 1966 ruled that for state elections, poll taxes were unconstitutional because they violated the equal protection clause. The clause provides that no state can deny any person within its jurisdiction "the equal protection of the laws."

     This picture depicts a very large group of people protesting against poll taxes. This occurred probably before the twenty-forth amendment was ratified, although it could possibly have occurred shortly after as well because it had not yet stopped the poll taxes from coming from state elections until 1966.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBFtN-w-ECo

     This video is a great example of what the twenty-forth amendment entails. I like that these students included the fact that African Americans and poor white people were really getting hit hard with poll taxes because the richer white people didn't want them to vote. The twenty-fourth amendment put this idea to an end.

Amendment XXIII (23)

Amendment XXIII

Ratified March 29, 1961.

Section 1.
     The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as Congress may direct: A 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 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.


     The twenty-third amendment extends the right to vote in the presidential election to citizens residing in the District of Colombia by granting them electors in the electoral college. Article II, Section I, goes along with this amendment. This officially elects the President and the Vice President every four years. They are elected by electors who are chosen by popular vote on a state-by-state basis. Prior to the twenty-third amendment, the District of Columbia was not a state, so it did not have any electors. Their first presidential election that they were able to vote in was the election of 1964, three years after the amendment was ratified. The district, though, is only allowed as many electors as the least populous state. Wyoming is the least populous state, which has only three electors, so the district is only allowed three electors.


     This license plate is a prime example of what the people that reside in Washington, D.C. thought of before the twenty-third amendment was passed. These people were getting taxed, when they didn't even have any electors assigned to them because they were not a state. The people of the District of Columbia did not agree with this idea, so the twenty-third amendment was made in their favor.


     This picture is one that would campaign against what the twenty-third amendment has to offer. Some people may not have wanted those extra voters, the District of Columbia, to cast their vote because it could result in their party loosing the campaign.
 

Amendment XXII (22)

Amendment XXII

Ratified February 27, 1951.

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 President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by 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.


     The twenty-second amendment was important because it sets a term limit for the election to become president. George Washington was one of the founders that was thought of for limiting to two terms because he decided not to seek a third term although he might not have been seeking re-election because of his age. Thomas Jefferson also contributed to the two-term limit by pretty much stating that if there wasn't a two-term limit, then the four years could soon become for life. There were only a few presidents that attempted to serve more than two terms, but failed. Ulysses S. Grant is one of them, but he ended up losing to his party's nomination. Two others that tried to be elected for a third-term, but lost to other candidates are Grover Cleveland, Theodore Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson. Franklin Roosevelt was the only President to have served more than two terms. Some might say that if there were Presidents that served for longer than two-terms, then it could be very threatening to the country.

     This is what seems to be a campaign button that states: "No man is good three times." This was meant to support the twenty-second amendment. Many people do believe that a third term in office would not lead to a happy ending.
  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYx4NUMEdoA

     This link leads you to a short video clip of someone deciphering what Obama has stated within these forty seconds. Obama talks of dealing with other presidents and talking with them for the next 8-10 years. The person who made this clip suggested that 8-10 years adds up to longer than two terms, which shows that maybe Obama has an interest in repealing the twenty-second amendment.










 

Amendment XXI (21)

Amendment XXI

Ratified December 5, 1933.

Section 1.

     The eighteenth article of amendment to 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.


     The twenty-first amendment repealed the eighteenth amendment that had mandated the prohibition on alcohol. This amendment is the only one of the twenty-seven amendments to repeal a previous amendment. Many Americans began to oppose the eighteenth amendment and began a political movement in order to try and get it repealed. Crime rates rose intensely, many ignored prohibition and had very little respect for the law. Franklin Roosevelt campaigned for the repeal because of the tax revenue. This amendment was also the only one that was ratified by state conventions rather than by the state legislatures. The aim of this amendment is to maintain an effective and uniform system for controlling liquor by regulating its transportation, importation, and use.

     This picture shows how happy this person is that the eighteenth amendment has been repealed and reflects on the days before the eighteenth amendment was passed. The passing of the twenty-first amendment vanquished the anger that people were holding due to the eighteenth amendment.



     This is an invitation that was created for the 75th anniversary of the repeal of prohibition. This shows that people wanted to get rid of the eighteenth amendment so badly that they hold a ball in favor of the anniversary of the day that the eighteenth amendment was finally appealed.