Twenty-seventh Amendment

Congressional pay raises

No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.

What does this mean??

This means that congress can't give themselves a raise, rather they must be reelected.

Why this video??

This video is perfect! It explains the 27th amendment to the T. Congress has to be reelected to receive an approved raise.

Twenty-sixth Amendment

18-year-old suffrage

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

What does this mean??

The 26th amendment changed the voting age from 21 years old to 18 years old. At the time this was happening we were at war with Vietnam. People were outraged that our 18 year olds were fighting in the war but could not even vote.

Why this picture?

This is a 1969 New Jersey campaign poster supporting the 26th amendment to lower the voting age to 18 from 21.

Twenty-fifth Amendment

Presidential succession

Section 1. In case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President.

Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.

Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.

What does this mean??

The 25 amendment deals with the plan of succession for the presidents position. It states that if the President becomes incapacitated then the Vice President will run the show until the President is good to go. If the President dies than the Vice President moves up to President and the House of Speaker becomes the Vice President.

Why this picture??

I decided to put this picture up because it shows the plan of succession in action. This is picture shows Lyndon B. Johnson being sworn in on the plane next to Jackie Kennedy two hours after the assassination of President JFK.

Twenty-fourth Amendment

Abolition of poll taxes

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay any poll tax or other tax.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

What does this mean??

The 24th Amendment said there should be no poll taxes or any other taxes that could stop someone from being able to vote.

Why this video?

This is a great video and talks all about the poll taxes and what a few examples were that the used. Having to read, saying you could only vote if your father and grandfathers were able to vote, just no name a few. This has a ton of great information about the 24th amendment.

Twenty-third Amendment

Washington, D.C., suffrage

Section 1. The District constituting the seat of government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct:

A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a state, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment.

Section 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

What does this mean??

The 23rd amendment gave Washington DC electors. Due to the fact that Washington DC is not a state they don't have any representatives in the house, even though DC has a higher population than 12 other states.

Why this picture?

This is a picture of the White House and I thought it was fitting since the 23rd amendment deals with Washington DC.

Twenty-second Amendment

Term Limits for the Presidency

Section 1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

Section 2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

What does this mean?

The 22nd amendment provided term limits for the president. The president can not be elected twice. Jefferson had feared that the presidency would become a lifelong term.

Why this picture?

I decided to put a picture of the former President FDR because he served three terms and was serving his fourth when he passed away. The way he was able to do this is because he was not elected for all of those terms, he in a way found a loop hole in the 22nd amendment.

Twenty-first Amendment

Repeal of Prohibition

Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Section 2. The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or possession of the United States for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws thereof, is hereby prohibited.

Section 3. The article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by conventions in the several States, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the States by the Congress.

What does this mean?

The 21st amendment repealed the 18th and made alcohol legal again.

Why this picture?

The picture pretty much speaks for its self- the openly drinking is back! As you can tell from this photo a lot of people were happy to hear this news.