Washington Business Daily

What amendment passed since 1960 shows flexibility of the Constitution and how?

This is a question for a report I'm doing. I just need a starter. The choices are #23-#27. I think the most probable is #25, but I don't know why it shows flexibility. Help!

Public Comments

1. Any Amendment changing power to the leader, especially using the tactics of a 'war' based on bogus info, should be forbidden.
2. I would think that the ERA demonstrates the flexible or impermanent nature that makes the US Constitution such a wonderful document. Proposed in 1923 it is still not an actual amendment, it is an Act. Funny word plays in the congress and stuff make it rather ridiculous. #26 was a pretty major one.
3. I'm not sure what Sapreo is talking about. For that matter, I don't believe he does either. Amending the Constitution is a very difficult thing to do. That is why it has change relatively little in the last 50 years. If you look at how much our society, culture and values have changed since WWII, it is amazing how well the original Amendments of the Constitution still serve us well.
4. Well here are the 23 - 27 Amendments: Twenty-third Amendment (1961): Grants presidential electors to the District of Columbia. Twenty-fourth Amendment (1964): Prohibits the federal government and the states from requiring the payment of a tax as a qualification for voting for federal officials. Twenty-fifth Amendment (1967): Changes details of presidential succession, provides for temporary removal of president, and provides for replacement of the vice president. Twenty-sixth Amendment (1971): Prohibits the federal government and the states from forbidding any citizen of age 18 or greater to vote simply because of their age. Twenty-seventh Amendment (1992): Limits congressional pay raises. In my opinion, the 24th Amendment illustrates the flexibility of our government and its ability to amend the Constitution. In the 1960s, we were in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. Many Americans believed that all citizens of the U.S. should enjoy all the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship. However, some people disagreed with this position. A way to circumvent a person's right to vote would be to charge a fee or tax to vote that they couldn't afford to pay. At that time, many African Americans didn't have the wealth or income to pay a fee or tax so essentially they couldn't vote. Since the 24th Amendment banned any fee or tax to vote, it ensured that all eligible citizens regardless of their income could vote. When the Founding Fathers drafted the U.S. Constitution slavery was still legal so we had a group of people who didn't have the right to vote. (There were some of the Founding Fathers such as Thomas Jefferson and George Mason who wanted the abolishment of slavery written into the Constitution but it didn't have a majority consensus and was excluded from the final draft.) In 1865, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery. In 1870, the 15th Amendment gave all citizens regardless of race, color or previous condition of servitude the right to vote. So, all male African Americans who were born in the U.S, had the right to vote but by charging a fee or tax at the polls the elite could ensure that only the wealthy would have the money to vote. The Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution in a way that allowed for amendments that were needed based on societal changes. The 24th Amendment is a good example of the flexibility of the Constitution because it made a changed that was needed. (Is wasn't until 1920 when the 19th Amendment was passed the woman were given the right to vote.)