Former Supreme Court Justice Wants Constitution Changed

Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens is in favor of significant changes to the Constitution. In a new book, the 94-year-old lays out his vision for a new America.

Stevens would abolish the death penalty, limit redistricting of Congressional districts and cap political contributions.

His new book is titled “Six Amendments: How and Why We Should Change the Constitution.”

One of the changes Stevens proposes would require states to participate in Federal background checks for firearm sales. The former justice also proposes to modify the Second Amendment, allowing further federal restrictions on weapons sales. Such a move could completely ban private ownership of guns, a change that is unlikely to pass, Stevens acknowledged.

He said, “The purpose is to cause further reflection over a period of time because it seems to me with ample time and ample reflection, people in the United States would come to the same conclusion that people in other countries have.”
Political contributions are also in the crosshairs of the former judge. The Supreme Court recently struck down contribution limits for private individuals donating to candidates for federal offices. In 2010, the court limited legal spending limits for labor unions and corporations.

That case was brought by an Alabama businessman who donated to 15 Congressional candidates in states other than his own, and wished to give money to 12 others.

Stevens said, “The opinion is all about a case where the issue was electing somebody else’s representatives.”

One proposed constitutional change would alter the first amendment to include “reasonable limits on the amount of money that candidates for public office, or their supporters, may spend in election campaigns.”

Stevens retired from the judicial bench in 2010, and celebrated his 94th birthday on April 20th.

http://www.ksfy.com/story/25306986/retired-justice-proposes-changes-to-constitution

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/22/us/politics/justice-stevenss-prescription-for-giant-step-in-

wrong-direction.html?_r=0

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/04/21/justice-stevens-supreme-court-constitution-

book/7872695

http://wesa.fm/post/book-news-ex-supreme-court-justice-wants-6-changes-constitution

http://www.peoplespunditdaily.com/2014/04/22/news-events/politics/retired-supreme-court-justice-

proposes-limits-guns-free-speech/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2610105/Retired-justice-proposes-changes-Constitution.html