Editor, Times-Union:

In order to further strengthen our democratic constitutional republic, enhanced term limits and other reform measures should be enacted for all three branches of the federal government. This letter will focus on the executive branch, more specifically, the office of the presidency.

The following reforms should be enacted; proposed language is indicated in bold italic font.

Proposed 28th Amendment — Vote to Retain in Office:

The Office of the Presidency shall be subjected to a "vote to retain in office until end of term 11 referendum during the Congressional Mid­ Term elections in November. If three-fifths of voters nationwide vote to remove from office along with three-fifths of the Electoral College. The President's term in office shall end within 14 days with the Vice­ President assuming office at noon of the day of departure.

22nd Amendment — Presidential Term Limits:

Section 1: No Person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice in a row or three times overall and shall retire at the age of 75 if in office,

Article II Section 2. Qualifications for President:

No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of the adoption of this constitution, shall be eligible to the office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not attained to the age of thirty-five years and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States.

nor shall any person be eligible to that office who has not had the status of their citizenship verified, undergone and passed a complete criminal background check, fully disclosed their tax returns and financial history, eliminated potential or actual financial conflicts of interest, undergone a complete physical and psychological medical exam by an independent panel of medical experts, passed a high school civics exam and an introductory course to American Constitutional law, performed at least a year of national service whether military or non-military in their lifetime, and successfully held an elected or appointed public office whether at the local, state, and national levels.

— Any candidate who fails anyone or all of these qualifications would be ineligible to be on the ballot in any state of the Union whether for the primary or general Presidential election.

— The Federal Election Commission shall be main administrative body in conjunction with other appropriate agencies in overseeing a candidate's compliance with these standards.

Article II Section 4. Removal from Office:

The President, Vice President and all civil officers of the United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, gross incompetence, outlandish & asinine behavior, autocratic rule, or other high crimes and misdemeanors by either Congress as outlined in Article 1 Sections 2 & 3 or a two-thirds majority of the state legislatures throughout the Union.

I would urge readers to contact their elected officials in Congress and urge adoption of these amendments.

Alexander Houze

Leesburg