As part of one of my classes, we are re-writing the Constitution.  Actually, we are proposing changes to the Constitution. 

I find that the class is so caught up in small individual issues that it is not looking at the overall view of governance...

They want to legalize marijuana.. .i'm thinking fine but that's legislation not a constitutional right.. the right involved would be ...hmm control over one's person.. which should cover abortion... as well

They want to keep the second amendment .. as a right to own a gun so that it can be legislated.. and I wonder why specify a weapon.. when all you really want is a right to self defense..

They want to eliminate the Electoral College..and make it one person one vote.. now I agree with that in some aspects since the Electoral College were the founders way of keeping the "ignorant masses" from making "uneducated decisions"    but I have concerns about a strictly popular vote tally.. The following are the comments I posted for the class:

I agree that the electoral college should be eliminated but the question becomes "What replaces it?" As we discussed in our group, there are consequences to a direct popular vote. There is the potential for a candidate to ignore all low population states and win California, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Florida and still become President; disenfranchising smaller states like Kansas or Alabama from the electoral process.

The following is my proposed replacement for the electoral college system:

A Presidential nominee must have 45% of the popular vote in at least 45 states in order to qualify for the Presidency. In order to win the Presidency, he/she must win 60% of the vote in at least 40 states. If this threshold is not obtained, then the election will be decided by which candidate won the greater number of states by at least 10%.

I'm still thinking some of this through.. but I'm curious what yall think.. do you think the constitution should be changed?  What parts of the Constitution would you change if you were a participant in the Constitutional Convention? 

So while hubby and I were driving back from Florida.. we turned to some republican talk radio station in the Carolinas (not sure which one) that was discussing charitable giving.   He had read some study that "proved" people who gave money to charity were happier than people who just spent money on themselves.. (this is not the point of the post but I just want to mention that is probably because we are taught that we should not be so self-indulgent and should be charitable that makes people feel guilty for spending the money on themselves.. also they have probably racked up some significant debt spending money on themselves...)

Anyway.  I asked hubby how happy he was.. and he says he thinks he's a 5.. there's alot of things he wanted to accomplish by this time in his life and he sees that he's not there. 

When he asked me... I said 7.  I agree with him that there are a lot of things I wanted to accomplish in my life that I haven't yet.. or maybe even at all... but i see that I'm on a certain path to those goals.  I know I wander from the path every once in a while.. losing focus and motivation to continue.. making myself content with the scenery that exists where I am.. but I eventully i realize there is a better place ahead of me.. and I need to keep moving to get there.

Right now.. 

My job is a never ending cycle of projects, tests, meetings... but i have used it to learn skills and applications that I may be able to use in the future (like creating an e-learning curriculum)

I am still in school.. sometimes stuck in pointless lectures with students clamoring for the professors attention with asinine (sp?) comments just to get the points for 10%  of their grade.. god I wish i could just pay for my degree and be done with it.. but then i stumble across some piece of information that helps me fill in gaps in my own understanding of the world and then it becomes worth it..   (still wish I could just pay for my degree though!)

We may have our moments.. where we just want to wring each other's necks.. but really hubby is great.. understanding through my hours of studying.. PMS/stress related mood swings..  I really need to work on doing more for him.. and us.. he deserves to be happier.

I have completely neglected my Mark business.. there's just not enough hours in the day.. but I will have to pick it back up to cover my ebay habits and i think this swap group I am in may just help with that..

ok...now i'm just rambling.. back to working on my many papers and reading responses!!! 

L

PS  Just out of curiousity..... How happy are you???