The foundational principle of the United States government is that it derives its just powers from the consent of the governed. But, that consent has been violated. We can fix this through non-partisan structural reforms. That is what the Justice and Responsibility Charter aims to provide - A platform for Americans to hold their representatives accountable.

0
Total Signatories
0
Members of Congress

Five Essential Reforms

These structural solutions address the root causes of dysfunction in American government

Balanced the Budget

No More Gerrymandering

Enact Term Limits

No More Super PACs

No 2000+ Page Omnibus Bills

These five reforms are designed to work in synergy. First, banning Super PACs, ending gerrymandering, and enacting term limits aim to make politicians accountable to voters, not special interests. This new accountability is then enforced through transparent governing rules like a balanced budget and a ban on secretive omnibus bills that prevent proper democratic oversight.

"What difference will this make?"

The difference is what effort you put in. This charter and your signature creates undeniable proof of bipartisan support for structural reforms, forcing politicians to take clear stances on transparency and accountability.

"Is this a political party?"

No. This charter is for all Americans who want transparent, just, and responsible government regardless of party affiliation. These are structural solutions, not partisan politics. We are not a political party. We are a movement.

"Why should I care?"

I'm personally tired of inaction. How about you? The corruption and dysfunction affecting every citizen can be fixed, but only if we demand better together. Politicians on both sides of the aisle are ignoring the will of the people. We can change that.

The Justice and Responsibility Charter

Preamble

Whereas, the foundational principle of the United States government is that it derives its just powers from the consent of the governed;

Whereas, the three branches of the federal government - Legislative, Executive, and Judicial - have collectively failed to uphold their constitutional and fiduciary duties to the American people, leading to a crisis of confidence and a systemic erosion of public trust;

Whereas, this failure is not the result of isolated incidents but of pervasive and deeply entrenched corruption by special interests, which has subverted the proper functions of governance;

Now, Therefore, for the historical record and as the basis for the reforms herein proposed, the following Articles of Grievance are presented against the existing political establishment:

Articles of Grievance

Article I: On Fiscal Malfeasance

The federal government has engaged in decades of reckless fiscal policy, culminating in a national debt currently totaling $36,100,000,000,000. This represents approximately $107,440 for every person in America. This sum represents a catastrophic failure of stewardship, imposes an unsustainable burden upon current and future generations, and jeopardizes the economic sovereignty of the Nation.

Article II: On the Subversion of the Democratic Process

The United States Congress has systematically engaged in the practice of partisan gerrymandering, creating unrepresentative electoral districts designed to entrench incumbent power and suppress the will of the electorate. This practice effectively disenfranchises citizens and transforms the democratic process into a non-participatory exercise.

Article III: On the Entrenchment of an Unrepresentative Political Class

The chambers of Congress have become dominated by a gerontocracy of wealthy and powerful individuals who are disconnected from the realities of the citizenry they purport to represent. This entrenched class has prioritized the perpetuation of its own influence over the necessary transfer of leadership to a new generation. They have systematically enriched themselves through insider trading while opening the floodgates to unlimited dark money and super PAC corruption.

Article IV: On Obfuscation in the Legislative Process

The legislative process has been deliberately corrupted through the routine passage of omnibus bills of unmanageable length and complexity. This practice ensures that legislation is neither fully read nor understood by many who vote upon it, and serves to conceal provisions that would not withstand public scrutiny if presented transparently. This method is a primary instrument through which the aforementioned grievances are enacted into law.

Declaration and Platform

Therefore, in response to these grievances and to restore integrity, accountability, and justice to the governance of the United States, we, the people, do hereby establish the Justice and Responsibility Charter and proclaim the following statements as its foundational tenets:

Section 1: Fiscal Responsibility and Balanced Governance

The federal budget shall be balanced over the course of the business cycle, with the goal of preventing any net increase to the national debt outside of periods of declared national emergency or significant economic recession. A clear and public glide path shall be established to achieve this balance.

Section 2: Fair and Independent Congressional Districting

All congressional districts shall be drawn by independent, non-partisan commissions in each state. The boundaries of said districts shall be determined primarily by census data and must adhere to strict geometric and geographic simplicity, containing no more than ten (10) corners, with exceptions made only for significant and clearly defined natural landmarks.

Section 3: Congressional Term Limits

No person shall serve as a member of Congress for more than 6 (6) total terms in the House of Representatives, and no more than four (4) total terms in the Senate.

Section 4: Campaign Finance and Ethics Reform

To sever the link between wealth and political influence, the following shall be enacted:

  • 5.1. Contribution Limits: No member of Congress, nor any candidate for Congress, may accept more than six thousand dollars ($6,000) from any single individual donor per election cycle.
  • 5.2. Abolition of Special Interest Vehicles: The legal precedents established by Citizens United v. FEC shall be overturned by constitutional amendment or superseding legislation. All Political Action Committee (PAC) structures shall be abolished as legal mechanisms for campaign donations. Equivalent loopholes will be targeted for removal as they arise.
  • 5.3. Prohibition on Securities Trading: Sitting members of Congress shall be prohibited from trading in individual stocks or other individual securities and may only participate in well-defined mutual funds or other stock allocations. An independent non-congressional committee will be established to define appropriate stock allocations, as well as provide oversite and audit controls.
  • 5.4. Prohibition on Lobbying: No person who has served as a member of Congress shall be eligible to work as a lobbyist at any time, before or after their term of office.

Section 5: Legislative Transparency and Readability

To ensure due diligence and public oversight in the legislative process, the following rules shall apply to all bills before Congress:

  • 6.1. Bill Integrity: All legislation must adhere to a strict "single subject" rule, prohibiting the inclusion of provisions unrelated to the central purpose of the bill.
  • 6.2. Public Review and Bill Length: To ensure sufficient time for public review, the following shall apply:
    • a. Standard Review: For any bill whose full text is one hundred (100) pages or fewer, no vote shall be held until a period of at least one full week (168 hours) has passed since the text was published.
    • b. Extended Review for Complex Legislation: For any bill exceeding one hundred (100) pages, no vote shall be held until a period of at least thirty (30) days has passed since the text was published. Such bills must also be accompanied by an official, plain-language summary of no more than ten (10) pages.
    • c. Formatting Standard: For the purposes of this section, a "page" is defined as a standard 8.5x11 inch page with one-inch margins, double-spaced, using a 12-point Times New Roman font or its equivalent.
    • d. Emergency Waiver: The applicable review period may only be waived in the case of a formally declared national emergency and upon a two-thirds supermajority vote in both chambers of Congress.

Our Mission

We reject the defeatist narrative that corruption, dysfunction, and systematic failures are simply "the way things work." The Justice and Responsibility Charter provides proof that Americans across the political spectrum agree on how our government should function.

This is not a partisan issue. It's an American issue. Most crises facing our nation are symptoms of broken systems that prioritize special interests over the public good. By addressing these foundational problems through constitutional reforms, we can restore trust to American governance.

As this movement grows, the most common question Americans will ask their representatives is:
"Did you sign the Justice and Responsibility Charter?"

Real change begins when we stop treating symptoms and start curing the disease itself.

Join thousands of Americans demanding transparent, accountable governance

References

1.
National Debt Data: Real-time national debt figures are sourced from the U.S. Treasury's Fiscal Data API, specifically the "Debt to the Penny" dataset. This data is updated daily and represents the total public debt outstanding of the United States government.
U.S. Treasury Fiscal Data API - Debt to the Penny
2.
Per-Person Debt Calculation: The debt per person figure is calculated by dividing the current national debt by the most recent U.S. population estimate from the Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program (PEP). Population data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau API.
U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates API
3.
Gerrymandering Harms and Reform Solutions: Extensive academic research demonstrates that gerrymandering fundamentally undermines democratic principles by allowing politicians to choose their voters rather than voters choosing their representatives, creating unrepresentative districts that disenfranchise citizens and transform the democratic process into what scholars describe as "a non-participatory exercise."
Wikipedia: Gerrymandering in the United States - Examples of Gerrymandered Districts
Cambridge University Press: The Democratic Harms of Gerrymandering
eJournal of Public Affairs: Effects of Gerrymandering on State Social Policy
Mother Jones: Supreme Court's Role in America's Decade of Voter Disenfranchisement
4.
Independent Redistricting Commission Benefits: Research demonstrates that independent redistricting commissions produce significantly fairer district maps than politician-drawn districts. Studies show these commissions create more compact, contiguous districts that better respect communities of interest and geographic boundaries, while reducing partisan bias and increasing electoral competitiveness.
Common Cause: Unlocking Fair Maps - The Keys to Independent Redistricting
Brennan Center for Justice: A Better Way to Draw Districts
California Citizens Redistricting Commission: How Independent Commissions Work
5.
Geography-Based District Benefits: Academic research shows that districts drawn with geographic compactness and contiguity as primary criteria better represent natural communities of interest, reduce voter confusion, improve representative-constituent communication, and create more stable, predictable electoral boundaries that serve democratic governance rather than political manipulation.
Cornell University: Balanced Power Diagrams for Fair Redistricting
Cambridge University Press: Automated Tools for Geographic Redistricting Reform
Harvard University: How to Measure Legislative District Compactness
6.
Congressional Aging and Deaths in Office: Comprehensive data shows Congress has become significantly older, with representatives dying in office at alarming rates. The average age of Congress has increased by 12 years in the Senate and 9 years in the House since 1980, while the 118th Congress is the third oldest since 1789. Since 2000, at least 33 House members and multiple senators have died while serving, demonstrating the urgent need for term limits to ensure responsive representation.
Roll Call: Members of Congress Dying in Office Statistics and Analysis | NBC News: The 118th Congress is the Third Oldest Since 1789 | Wikipedia: Complete List of Congress Members Who Died in Office Since 2000 | Congressional Research Service: Average Age and Demographics of the 119th Congress
University of Maryland Poll: 83% of Americans Support Constitutional Amendment for Congressional Term Limits | U.S. Term Limits: National Polling Shows 80% Support for Congressional Term Limits | Stockton University Poll: Bipartisan Support for Age and Term Limits for Elected Officials
7.
Congressional Insider Trading and Securities Violations: Extensive evidence demonstrates widespread violations of the STOCK Act by members of Congress, who systematically outperform the market through access to non-public information. In the 117th Congress alone, 78 members violated federal disclosure laws, while studies show senators earn abnormal returns of 4.9% over 3 months. This insider trading undermines market integrity and democratic trust.
Business Insider: 78 Members of Congress Violated Federal Ethics Law | Raw Story: 62 Members of Congress Caught Breaking STOCK Act Law | InsiderFinance: Real-Time Congress Stock Trading Tracker and Analysis | Journal of Business Ethics: Political Insider Trading Study - 4.9% Abnormal Returns
Unusual Whales: Politicians Beat the Market in 2022 - Performance Analysis | AlphaAI Capital: Analysis of Congressional Trading Patterns and Market Outperformance
8.
Citizens United and Super PAC Corruption: The Citizens United decision has fundamentally corrupted American democracy by allowing unlimited dark money to flow through super PACs, creating a system where billionaires and corporations buy political influence. Research shows this has led to increased political polarization, reduced democratic responsiveness, and the disenfranchisement of ordinary voters. Over $3 billion has been spent by super PACs in federal elections, with 68% coming from donors contributing over $1 million.
Public Choice Journal: Citizens United Led to Greater Conservative Bias and Polarization | NYU American Public Policy Review: The Fight Against Super PACs and Dark Money | NBER Conference: Disclosure in Democracy - Dark Money Research
9.
Omnibus Bills and Legislative Obfuscation: Modern Congress routinely passes massive, unreadable omnibus bills that lawmakers admit they haven't read. The Affordable Care Act ran 2,700 pages, Dodd-Frank exceeded 2,300 pages, and recent spending bills have reached over 5,593 pages. Even Supreme Court justices have called reading such legislation "cruel and unusual punishment." Academic research shows this creates "comprehension asymmetries" where bills pass precisely because they're incomprehensible, enabling hidden provisions and undermining democratic accountability.
Cambridge University Press: Comprehension Asymmetries in Legislative Process | The Economist: America's Elephantine Spending Bills Are Becoming Increasingly Unreadable | Constituting America: Why Bills Have Grown Significantly Longer Over US History
Townhall: Obamacare's 2,700 Pages Prove Too Much For Supreme Court Justices | Washington Examiner: Supreme Court Justices Can't Read 2,700-Page Bills Either | Market Oracle: Dodd-Frank Financial Reform Bill is 2,300 Pages of Gobbledygook
Issues in Legal Scholarship: Omnibus Legislation and Statutory Interpretation Challenges