Think your rights as an American are being violated by the big shots of the Beltway? Feeling powerless as our elected officials cook the books, intimidate the populace, and sell us out to the next sovereign wealth fund? The Do-It-Yourself Constitutional Amendment Kit offers a simple, straightforward way to participate in our democracy, refresh your knowledge about the laws that govern the land, and be provoked by sample amendments designed to inspire and inform. None other than Thomas Jefferson stated that we should revise our Constitution every 20 years in order to reflect the growth of our country and our evolution as a species. Based on where the U.S. stands today, we ve got some catching up to do. We the Actual People are just the ones to do it.
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Like an episode of The Daily Show crossed with an issue of Mother Jones, this charming little book from Whitten (co-author of Vitally Important's similarly-pitched Secrets of the SuperOptimist) is a winning mix of humor and good citizenship. Based on Thomas Jefferson's assertion that "the Constitution should be revised every 20 years," Whitten proposes a double-handful of amendments "intended to instigate discussion... and inspire your own suggestions," including: "All candidates for public office... will be required to read at least 20 books determined by a quorum of scholars"; "No more appearances on comedy shows by those running for office"; and a last-word "Fifth Estate" made up of "two people from each of the 50 states chosen at random to serve a four-year term." While some ideas will strike readers as reasonable ("No driver's license shall be issued or renewed unless the person in question has voted in that year's election"), others are sure to rankle ("Fair Tax to be rendered immediately"; "Ralph Nader given consolation prize in exchange for never running again"). Appended copies of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights will help readers get a knack for the assignment, while Whitten's edgy, laugh-out-loud text keeps things in perspective. Illustrations.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
Nathaniel Whitten. Vitally Important (Atlas, dist.), $8.95 paper (96p) ISBN 9780977480722 Like an episode of The Daily Show crossed with an issue of Mother Jones, this charming little book from Whitten (co-author of Vitally Important's similarly-pitched Secrets of the SuperOptimist) is a winning mix of humor and good citizenship. Based on Thomas Jefferson's assertion that "the Constitution should be revised every 20 years," Whitten proposes a double-handful of amendments "intended to instigate discussion... [and] inspire your own suggestions," including: "All candidates for public office... will be required to read at least 20 books determined by a quorum of scholars"; "No more appearances on comedy shows by those running for office"; and a last-word "Fifth Estate" made up of "two people from each of the 50 states chosen at random to serve a four-year term." While some ideas will strike readers as reasonable ("No driver's license shall be issued or renewed unless the person in question has voted in that year's election"), others are sure to rankle ("Fair Tax to be rendered immediately"; "Ralph Nader given consolation prize in exchange for never running again"). Appended copies of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights will help readers get a knack for the assignment, while Whitten's edgy, laugh-out-loud text keeps things in perspective. Illustrations. (Oct.) --Publisher's Weekly
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
opinion,
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This review is from: Do-It-Yourself Constitutional Amendment Kit (Paperback)
Waste of time and money. Rip off. I already had a copy of the U.S. Constitution and amendments. I was looking for a framework for writing any type of amendment to an local, state, or national document! Not this quirky nonsense.
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book gets my vote!,
This review is from: Do-It-Yourself Constitutional Amendment Kit (Paperback)
The "Do-it-Yourself Constitutional Amendment Kit" totally delighted me. It's funny and amusing, clever and smart, but also deadly serious. It states the obvious that's never stated. It offers pragmatic solutions that cut through the bull. It opens the door to more political involvement in America. This book gives voice to what many are thinking but never say. And delivers it clearly, succinctly and always with a smile. I heartily recommend it!
4.0 out of 5 stars
Absurdity Can Save America!,
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This review is from: Do-It-Yourself Constitutional Amendment Kit (Paperback)
A funny, poignant, and strangely idiosyncratic work. Author Whitten has tapped into our American pop-culture angst just as the economic and political forces are coming to an unprecedented boil. His basic argument: maybe we need to re-think this whole "constitution" thing and get some new rules (and rulers) in Washington. This is not a "dummies guide" to politics but a book for smart people who enjoy thought-provoking odd-ball notions about politics and the absurdity of our current 200+-year old system of "democracy." Whitten pokes fun at re-working the amendments with a variety of brief vignettes on subjects ranging from "limiting all political speeches to 14 minutes" to a "reading list" for public officials that includes Salinger & Bukowski. I give this book four-star kudos on concept, but can't give it five stars because I wish there were more of Whitten's funny original material, and less of the actual constitution (which is reprinted here as an appendix) though to be fair to the author, I can see why he re-printed "the original" in this book so people could see what he was talking about -- and truth be told I have not actually read the constitution since 1976. Given how important this document is to Americans, we should all read the constitution again as adults and voters; Whitten provides a "fun" revisionist motive for readers to examine the original document.
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United States, Proposed Amendment, Vice President, Ratified February, Congress March, Congress June, House of Representatives, Ratified January, Each House Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
United States, Proposed Amendment, Vice President, Ratified February, Congress March, Congress June, House of Representatives, Ratified January, Each House Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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