# What constitutional reforms would you like to see post-Trump? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [July 5, 2026, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444 "2026-07-05T22:07:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2026, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/141 "2026-07-21T18:59:18Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > Am I crazy, or were long _ **unexplained** _ absences by US senators and representatives just not much of a thing pre-Trump? I posted several, altho they by and large were not " unexplained" . But the internet and “chuds” generated way way too many Conspiracy theories. The reason why there are no :“vice” senators, is that the Senate only needs enough for a quorum, which is afaik- 51 Senators. But someone with Executive powers has no one to do their job - so we have a “vice” or lieutenant Governor, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/142 "2026-07-25T00:31:27Z")
How about time limits on the Senate Review process for Supreme Court Justices? None of this Merrick Garland was nominated with barely a year left in Obama’s term but there was a whole month left for Amy Barret. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/143 "2026-07-25T01:13:55Z")
Descendants of a president shall not be eligible for the presidency for three successive generations, nor shall any other immediate family members (siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, first cousins) be eligible for the presidency. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/144 "2026-07-25T01:50:04Z")
…I don’t see what problem that’s intended to resolve. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/145 "2026-07-25T03:16:40Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I don’t see what problem that’s intended to resolve. He is likely worried about Donald jr becoming President. We had G Bush , John Quincy Adams and Benjamin Harrison, (plus several 2nd , 3rd etc cousins.) None of those three were particulary good. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/146 "2026-07-25T03:44:38Z")
I’m not big on the idea of punishing or disqualifying people from something because of what their parents did. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/147 "2026-07-25T03:48:40Z")
I concur. Mind you the idea of Don jr kinda scares me. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/148 "2026-07-25T05:02:38Z")
> [@california\_jobcase](#): > > Descendants of a president shall not be eligible for the presidency for three successive generations, nor shall any other immediate family members (siblings, parents, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, first cousins) be eligible for the presidency. That’s a bad idea. Opposed. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/149 "2026-07-25T05:32:36Z")
Family political dynasties are too close to monarchies in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/150 "2026-07-25T06:14:40Z")
If people want to vote for the child of a previous president, I don’t think that choice should be taken away from them over a hypothetical future Don Jr. presidency. Really, the only additional restriction I’d put on who can run is that anyone convicted of a felony requires either a dispensation from the Senate (let’s say a three-fifths vote) or the legislature of the state where they were convicted where they were convicted to be eligible. If Congress had had to affirmatively act to permit Trump to run again after his conviction, we might not be in this mess now. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/151 "2026-07-25T07:30:13Z")
Yeah… I also dont think its a good idea. Looking at Chelsea Clinton as an example, Im not seeing anything that would obviously be bad, or Michelle Obama for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/152 "2026-07-25T08:06:24Z")
Let me ask a hypothetical question. If every voter was required to pass some version of the civic knowledge test that every applicant for naturalized American citizenship is required to pass, would there be any hope in hell of a malevolent moron like Trump ever being elected president? Yes, I know that “literacy tests” for screening voters have a bad reputation from the days when they were specifically used to disenfranchise Black voters, but I’m talking about a test applied to everyone to assess the most basic knowledge of the American system of government and just general sanity. I know it’s too much to hope for, but just think of the consequences if only sane people with some knowledge of domestic and global affairs could vote. What a wonderfully enlightened world this would be! ---
**Author:** ![TeroSunbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terosunbear/32/14748_2.png) [@TeroSunbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeroSunbear)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/153 "2026-07-25T13:13:41Z")
A new constitution. Most of the domestic affairs should be left to a team of leaders to decide, parliamentary style. The whole cabinet thing is hard to manipulate, but a good part of the Government should report to Congress. Leave foreign policy and military day to day activity to the president. The funding of departments is done by congress so the speaker of the house would need to do some prime ministering. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/154 "2026-07-25T16:32:54Z")
1. Get rid of the Electoral College 2. Get rid of the Senate 3. Outlaw gerrymandering 4. Implement the Equal Rights Amendment 5. Get rid of the offices of President and VP and make the executive branch an administrative branch of Congress 6. Restrict the powers of the Supreme Court That’s just a start. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/155 "2026-07-25T18:01:14Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Yes, I know that “literacy tests” for screening voters have a bad reputation from the days when they were specifically used to disenfranchise Black voters, but I’m talking about a test applied to everyone to assess the most basic knowledge of the American system of government and just general sanity. The Red states would just do the same thing. Obviously all the test cant be identical, so the MAGAs would give the hardest test to minorities and the easy test to the white folk- exactly what they did in the past. And how about dyslexic people or people to whom english is a second language? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/156 "2026-07-25T18:09:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The Red states would just do the same thing. Obviously all the test cant be identical How is that “obvious”? Could there not be a set of federally approved standardized tests that each voter would get at random? They need not be difficult tests – for example, just name the three goddam branches of government and what they do, which I swear the majority of voters today would fail to answer correctly! > [@DrDeth](#): > > And how about dyslexic people or people to whom english is a second language? I don’t think dyslexia is relevant here. But if they have very poor command of the English language, how well do they understand what’s going on around them, and therefore the rational basis on how they should vote? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/157 "2026-07-25T18:15:19Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > How is that “obvious”? Could there not be a set of federally approved standardized tests that each voter would get at random? They need not be difficult tests – for example, just name the three goddam branches of government and what they do, which I swear the majority of voters today would fail to answer correctly! You know I once asked some intelligent people- college grads, and they answered “The House, the Senate, and the President”. You dont think the red states would cheat? And why isnt dyslexia relevant ? > [@wolfpup](#): > > But if they have very poor command of the English language, how well do they understand what’s going on around them, and therefore the rational basis on how they should vote? You dont have to have a “very poor command of English” just that you grew up speaking Spanish/ Cajun/Navaho/whatever. Nice- disenfranchise many minorities- exactly what the GOP wants. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/158 "2026-07-25T18:18:08Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You know I once asked some intelligent people- college grads, and they answered “The House, the Senate, and the President”. You and I apparently have very different definitions of “intelligence”. ---
**Author:** ![Jihi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jihi/32/17768_2.png) [@Jihi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jihi)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/159 "2026-07-25T18:46:15Z")
Stray thought… Trump has a bachelor’s degree in economics. Having a degree is certainly evidence of intellect but the correlation need not be 1:1. There are ways to get college degrees that have nothing to do with hard work or the ability to engage in critical thought. I’m nearly certain that Trump could not answer the “3 branches of government and their functions” question off the cuff. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444/160 "2026-07-25T19:03:04Z")
> [@Jihi](#): > > Stray thought… Trump has a bachelor’s degree in economics. Having a degree is certainly evidence of intellect but the correlation need not be 1:1. There are ways to get college degrees that have nothing to do with hard work or the ability to engage in critical thought. You can also get stupid just by listening to Conservative talk radio and other MAGA propaganda. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-constitutional-reforms-would-you-like-to-see-post-trump/1031444.md?page=9)