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Jefferson City, MO – Steven Wilson of Osage County, Missouri is running as a Libertarian in the 9th Congressional District. He says he wants to give the power of the federal government back to the people.
Wilson says he will do that by pushing for the adoption of "The Citizen's Equality and Sovereignty Amendment." He says this is a document he has been working on since he was in college.
Wilson says he started drafting the amendment because he has no faith in the federal government. He says the U.S. Constitution must always be reviewed as it is a living, open document.
"The amendment, itself, just brings it to where it is now," says Wilson, "so everybody in American can feel connected to where we came from and where we are going to go."
The Citizen's Equality and Sovereignty Amendment includes 23 sections (below).
Wilson says the United States should also adopt a gold-and-silver based currency system. He says that would eliminate the need for the Treasury Department.
Wilson says he only plans to serve for two years. He says that would provide him with the time needed to get the Citizen's Equality and Sovereignty Amendment approved.
Wilson says he would also push for more purchasing of American products using American materials.
Missouri's primary election is Tuesday, August 3.
You can hear more with Steven Wilson by clicking the audio link above.
The Citizen's Equality and Sovereignty Amendment (as provided by Wilson)
Section 1 . Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied based on gender.
Section 2 . Any domain used by citizens must have access by wheelchair, provide at least two workers available who can use American Sign Language, and provide at least two workers who would function as public readers and liaison for the blind.
Section 3 . We welcome Puerto Rico as the fifty-first state into the union.
Section 4 . A union of Governors will replace the United State Senate. It will have all the functions and powers of the present Senate. The exception being, the vice president will no longer be needed to break ties.
Section 5 . The primary function of the federal government is safety during invasion, and from famine and disease.
Section 6. The secondary function of the federal government is to provide for the production of currency and exchange mechanism based on commodity by silver and gold certificates. The currency described shall be issued by the US treasury and shall earn no interest and offer no profit upon manufacturing. The federal government shall not maintain a national debt longer than 36 months. If debt carries into 36 months and 1 day, a union of Governors takes over administrative functions of federal government until budget is balanced.
Section 7. No public servant or appointee shall have the power to pardon any crime.
Section 8. No public servant appointed or elected shall have immunity from law. All trials of federal employees shall take place at the state level.
Section 9. Public servants in Congress, Supreme Court justices, and all workers of the executive branch, regardless of time in service, shall not be allowed any benefits of monetary or medicinal gain identified as a pension. Public servants receive salary only. Salary is calculated as the median income per their home state at the time of the election.
Section 10. If for any reason, the members of the federal government exceed said boundaries of safety and monetary production, the union of Governors will have the authority, by the popular vote, to secede from the federal government legally.
Section 11. The federal government's jurisdiction shall be resolved to stay within defining statehood. At no time, can an elected body at the federal level or court ruling, exceed the powers of each individual state, unless a vote takes place by both state senate and state house representatives. At that time, it will be left to the individual state if said vote and consequences are to be permanent.
Section 12. The personhood or citizenship of the United States shall be a singular mode of definition. At no time can a citizen take on another moniker of equal value and still be recognized by the state. A non-human entity may not be deemed by a court or elected body as a citizen. Therefore, personhood is left to the human individual, not a grouping or otherwise. The rights identified as our Bill of Rights shall pertain only to an individual citizen. To give the rights stated in the Bill of Rights or anything similar to anything other than an individual citizen would be deemed an act of treason.
Section 13. The federal government shall derive its income from a tariff based funding system. The national budget cycle shall be 24 months. The House of Representatives cannot ever knowingly approach debt without the consent of the union of Governors. The act of taxation upon an individual citizen's income of the United States shall henceforth be deemed an act of treason. Individual states may fund their activities through their own device. Taxable revenue cannot be used to secure or repair private industry.
Section 14. If the federal government has debt wherein the union of Governors takes control of administrative duties, no elected public servant in the federal government shall be paid their salary.
Section 15. The federal government at no time shall have the authority to initiate force of will against one of its own citizens for the purpose of welfare or private property if said modality allows for a third party to profit from said government force. Commerce is left to the state. Regulation is left to the state, unless identified as a threat of famine or disease.
Section 16. The federal government will not be allowed to maintain a standing army, but with a presentation of proof to the union of governors, shall request access to each individual state's militia respectively. Each soldier must enter service of their own free will.
Section 17. All are counted or none shall ascend. The federal government shall not have the authority to interfere with a vote count. If a problem arises, then a total revote shall take place. Each ballot will have the options "vote of no confidence" or "none of the above". If 50.1% of these votes are cast, no person shall take that office until the next election cycle.
Section 18. Personhood or citizenship cannot be granted or taken away by either the federal government or the states. It will be based on proximity.
Section 19. The federal government shall offer Friday and Saturday for any vote for any election.
Section 20. Term Limits are as follows for the respective office; house of representatives - 2 terms, Supreme Court - 10 years. If the state does not have term limits, the citizen that served as Governor cannot serve as a representative, president, or vice president.
Section 21. Members of congress will meet two months in an annual cycle unless invasion, famine or disease outbreak arise. The treasury will function in a "glass house" for all citizens to see.
Section 22. Impeachment proceedings must begin within fourteen days of indictment. 50.1% of governors will be necessary to impeach either the president or vice president. 50.1% of mayors must vote to impeach members of the House of Representatives from their respective states. Impeachment votes must be yes or no.
Section 23. The president shall have the responsibility to define "safety during invasion", and the Governor shall have the responsibility of defining "from famine and disease".