Reunited+And+It+Feels+So+Good



This policy proposal works towards a peaceful transition from the era of slavery to a free society. In order to achieve this, compromise is required from all of our country. It will not be easy to change a country from years of a white supremacy society; therefore, the transition will be slow and thorough to ensure reunification across all of the United States borders. Slavery was a major part of the Southern economy, which is understood by all. It is in the hopes of America to restore the South to their previous economic power in a new slave-free method. Along with this economic reconstruction, it is in the wishes of America that the South's culture be restored as well along with the economy.

The ex-confederates have a limited citizenship. They will be disfranchised; however their voting rights remain intact. Their voice as a citizen of the United States of America will not be suppressed, but their right to hold office will. They are unable to hold office of any form due to their offenses of the nation; the definition of a confederate is any confederate army general or colonel, as well as the governmental leaders of the Confederacy. Their rights will be revoked for fifty years until the Civil War controversy and Reconstruction era have long passed. This course of action has become necessary for the health of our nation that she may thrive and grow into a country more powerful than the pre-Civil War era.

I like that this plan will force the South to bring fresh ideas and outlooks into their government- they can't rely on the people that led them into the war. The Freedmen will be limited citizens for their own protection. In result of the major amount of hatred towards the Black race, the American army will patrol the polls to protect the Black people from racial discrimination and targeting across the country. These patrols will continue for twenty years to insure that the Black perspective is incorporated into the American Government. However, a black person will not be allowed to run for office or hold any position of power for a few years. After the duration of five years, a person of black ethnicity will be allowed to run for local positions such as the town sheriff. After seven years, any black person may run for a position in the state office. Finally, after 10 years, the black race may run for federal elections. In order to eliminate the black codes instated by the Confederacy, an addition will be added to the 14th amendment: “No law may be passed that is racially exclusive and every law that is racially targeting or stereotypical is no longer valid”. This amendment must be ratified by the Confederate state in order for them to be welcomed back into the United States. I really like that this idea a lot! Good job! My only question is what will be done to help the freedmen become part of society and make new lives for themselves? Because their knowledge and skills are very limited by their lifetime of slavery, it may be hard for them to find a way to support themselves and their families. Will there be any moves to educate the newly freed slaves? While ex-Confederates are not permitted to hold office, they are granted the right to vote. In turning over a new leaf, the South is our equal and they are our brothers. They will be punished in their representation for their actions, but their political opinions and voices are still important for our democracy. We trust that they will not betray their brothers again and that they will join us in a step towards our new future. Therefore, all American citizens, which includes the black race, are granted the right to vote. I like this a lot! I think it is fair to give everyone in the South the right to vote because then, no one would feel left out, and there wouldn't be quite as many riots and such. Awesome! But, would blacks be able to hold government offices? In order to be allowed back into the United States of America, the Confederate states must ratify the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments (including the addition to the 14th amendment: no law can be made that is racially or culturally exclusive). When they rejoin the country, their right to representation in the House will be revoked until 90% of the state’s population swears allegiance to the United States. Once these requirements are both met, the state will receive full congressional representation. However, if blacks are not protected by their state governments, or laws are made that are racially discriminant, that state will lose their representation in the House of Representatives. This power of removing House representation belongs to the Federal Government. This power will last only for a maximum of 50 years, intent on unifying the country and its diversities. To spread goodwill and national unity, the date on which the last southern state rejoins the United States will be a national holiday dubbed “Reunification Day”. This national holiday will be as important in our Government as our Independence Day. I like the addition about not making a law that is racially or culturally exclusive, as I think that is very much a good way to get everyone on the same page in a more timely fashion. I think not allowing the states to be represented in the House is interesting, but I feel like it could get kind of tricky, especially if they've already regained statehood, and really do want to be part of the //United// States. I like the holiday idea as well, because I think it would definitely remind everyone of the achievements that have been made and inspire them to consistently do good. But, the part about a state losing its representation for 50 years is a little troubling. Wouldn't a state that met the requirements and wanted to become a state deserve to have its full rights? 50 years seems a little excessive, even if that is the maximum. Maybe somewhere upwards of a year would be good? I think if you don't allow a state their representation, that would lead to more disunity and possibly another war along the same lines as the Civil War, with the separation of the US.

The South’s economy should be restored by the people who understand the southern way of life best: the southern state governments themselves. The North will give loans to each southern state to create more factories and railroads, and to rebuild their destructed homes and towns. The southern states themselves shall decide how much they require, as long as it’s not a ridiculous or unworkable number. The new factories should help create jobs for blacks, while the construction of railroads should encourage another Western Expansion, which will help with the new demand for land supply. These loans, however, must be paid back to the North over a 50 year span. This way, the Southern economy and way of life can be rebuilt without the interference of North ideology. I like this idea. Giving the Southern states control of their economy might make the Southerners less bitter of the outcome of the civil war. The only issue I see here is that the factories will draw the freedman to the cities, and the railroads will draw the freedman westward, but there will be a lack of labor for growing crops, which is ultimately the South's main economic source. If there is no way to maintain the agricultural industry, I do not think the South can survive economically (and the north will lose their source of raw materials)

Union troops will be used during elections. This is to ensure that people do not use fear tactics against blacks that will prevent them from voting. The stationing of Union troops at voting polls will only continue for a period of 20 years. By then, the black race will have hopefully been incorporated successfully into the political fabric of the United States. The only other time the American troops will be used is in times of crisis. If the House representation has been revoked for the improper treatment of blacks, the Union army will patrol the state until proper behavior has resurfaced. In addition to the Union troops moving in to the state, a Northern political office will join the state government to reinstate justice in the state. The scant use of the Union army will convey America’s trust in the southern governments and people. I like that there will be troops stationed at the voting polls, but I do not think that they will be very effective in preventing fear tactics. The violence occurred before people voted, to ensure that they would vote out of fear. But it would help make sure that literacy tests were not cheating blacks out of their votes. However, even with the black vote, the democratic South would probably still prevail, and the Republican union soldiers might not want to protect the black vote as it would increase the amount of seats the Southern states would hold in Congress. Additionally, what would justify a time of crisis. I think that it is just a little to vague and leaves to much room for interpretation.

The proposal provides a secure transition from a period of slavery to a reconstructed Southern economy and culture. This proposal guides the United States of America into a free society using the democratic ideals of compromise to achieve the greatness for which the United States is destined.

[] OUR GROUP'S THEME SONG.