A More Perfect Constitution

Sabato's proposals

The twenty-three proposals run the gamut from changing the length of the U.S. President's term in office and the number and terms of Supreme Court justices to altering the structure of Congress, modifying the Electoral College, and introducing national service. Each of his proposals could be implemented with concurrence of 2/3 of each house of Congress and 3/4 of the states, except for the proposal to give some states more Senators than others. That proposal would require concurrence from every state, or amending the amending formula itself and subsequently amending the constitution to provide for the change in the structure of the Senate.

His senate reform proposal was intended to correct what he argued was an imbalance in legislative power in the U.S. Senate, where there is equal representation for all states regardless of population.

To address this issue while preserving the Senate's fundamental principles, Sabato proposed adjusting seat allocation based on population size. Specifically, the ten largest states would receive two extra seats each, the next fifteen largest would gain one seat, and the smallest 25 states would keep their current two seats. This new 135-member Senate would be reapportioned every decade following the census, allowing for shifts in representation as state populations change.

References

References

1. (October 30, 2007). "Books: Authors on Saving the Constitution, Nation". Washington Post.
2. Barnes, Fred. (October 16, 2007). "A Meeting to Amend". Wall Street Journal.
3. Norris, Sarah. (February 11, 2009). "U. Virginia Prof's New Book Aims To 'stir The Pot', Revise Constitution". CBS News.
4. McLemee, Scott. (January 26, 2008). "Constitutional review: Illuminating the historical underpinnings and current relevance of America's fundamental legal document". Chicago Tribune.
5. "TOWARD A MORE PERFECT CONSTITUTION".
6. Seitz-Wald, Alex. (November 2, 2013). "The U.S. Needs a New Constitution—Here's How to Write It". The Atlantic.