No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.
The text of Amendment 27 was submitted to the States as part of the proposed Bill of Rights on September 25, 1789. It took almost 203 years for this amendment to finally be ratified on May 7, 1992:
The Twenty-seventh Amendment provides that any change in Congressional salaries may only take effect after the beginning of the next term of office for Representatives. Sometimes called the "Congressional Compensation Amendment of 1789," the "Congressional Pay Amendment," and the "Madison Amendment," it was intended to serve as a restraint on the power of Congress to set its own salary - an obvious potential for conflict of interest.1
Since its 1992 adoption, however, this amendment has not hindered members of congress from receiving nearly annual pay raises, characterized as "cost-of-living adjustments" (COLAs), rather than as pay raises in the traditional sense of the term. The United States Supreme Court has refused certiorari for a lawsuit challenging Congress's COLAs as unconstitutional, stating that the citizens bringing the lawsuit had no legal standing for bringing the lawsuit, as they had not proved they were personally harmed by the COLAs. Hence, members of Congress have been able to obtain increases in compensation without triggering the restrictions which this amendment seeks to impose. It should be pointed out that it is Congress that determines whether federal judges will receive an increase in their salaries.... Additionally, retirement benefits of federal judges are linked with those of members of Congress.2
The last paragraph demonstrates the good ol' boys club that exists among all three branches of the Constitutional Republic.
Amendment 27 is the most recent amendment to the United States Constitution. In all likelihood, more amendments will be added in the future, because, unlike Yahweh's3 immutable everlasting standard, WE THE PEOPLE's morality is capricious and ever-changing. In the last 222 years (1789 to 2011), the Constitution has been amended, on average, every 8.2 years. Eighteen years have passed since the ratification of the Twenty-Seventh Amendment, which makes the Constitution overdue for amendment. Amendments will occur again, unless the subjects of the King of kings recognize and repent of their national idolatry and replace the entire Constitution with Yahweh's perfect law and altogether righteous judgments.
Click to order the Bible Law vs. The United States Constitution CDs:
- The e-book (on CD) A Christian Perspective on the U.S. Constitution
- The audio CD The Bible vs. The U.S. Constitution (Pts. 1 & 2)
1. "Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution," Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-seventh_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution.
2. "Twenty-seventh Amendment to the United States Constitution," Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty-seventh_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution (3/21/2008).
3. YHWH (most often pronounced Yahweh) is the English transliteration of the Tetragrammaton, the principal Hebrew name of the God of the Bible. For a more thorough explanation concerning the sacred names of God, "The Third Commandment" may be read online, or the book Thou shalt not take the name of YHWH thy God in vain may be ordered from Mission to Israel Ministries, PO Box 248, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69363, for a suggested $4 donation.*
*We are admonished in Matthew 10:8 "freely ye have received, freely give." Although we have a suggested a price for our books, we do not sell them. In keeping with 2 Corinthians 9:7, this ministry is supported by freewill offerings. If you cannot afford the suggested price, inform us of your situation, and we will be pleased to provide you with whatever you need for whatever you can send.