所謂選舉制度必須有憲制基礎

正在看香港政府跟學聯代表的對話。其實我不太覺得是對話，由林鄭月娥和周永康的開場白開始，雙方都已經不是同一 channel。但算了。今次想講的是港府官員經常說的「選舉制度必須有憲制基礎」。

選舉制度必須符合憲制基礎，這是對的，畢竟憲法是最高規格的法律。但很多時候，修改選舉制度本身就涉及修改憲法。現時香港制訂新的選舉制度，就已經涉及修憲，因此才需要走所謂「五步曲」不是嗎？

港府又常引用立法原意，說基本法不可改。基本法的制訂是廿幾年前，也就是說立法原意也是廿幾年前所想的。廿幾年前的香港的情況，跟今日的香港的情況，很明顯有大大改變。基本法明明講了更改選舉制度要「根據實際情況」進行，為何堅持以廿年前的觀點來看呢？

以下引述一段 Thomas Jefferson (美國第3任總統) 寫給 James Madison (美國第4任總統、人稱「美國憲法之父」) 的信。

"On similar ground it may be proved that no society can make a perpetual constitution, or even a perpetual law. The earth belongs always to the living generation...... Every constitution then, and every law, naturally expires at the end of 19 years. If it be enforced longer, it is an act of force, and not of right.--It may be said that the succeeding generation exercising in fact the power of repeal, this leaves them as free as if the constitution or law has been expressly limited to 19 years only."

--- letter from Thomas Jefferson to James Madison, 6 Sept 1789.

http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/v1ch2s23.html

兩人的通信或對話，涉及上一代人是否有權去限制下一代人的哲學問題。Jefferson 認為法律是不可能永久地一成不變的，每一代人均有權利根據當下的實際情況對法律作出修改，不然就是強加於人。他對一代人的定義是19年，因此他說一套法律經過19年就可以失效，但整套法律失效再重新制訂又不切實際，因此他強調作出修法和擁有修法權較為實際。

事實是，美國憲法未等到19年就已經作出多項修訂。美國憲法於1789年生效，至今有過27項修訂，當中12項是在首15年內進行，大都是在憲法主要撰寫人、「憲法之父」 Madison 引導下進行。為何自己寫的憲法都要改？為何要違反立法原意？為何要今日的我打倒昨日的我？因為實行後發現憲法有漏洞嘛，跟不上實際情況就當然要改的啦！

再來，27項修訂中有10條都是涉及政制的：第12、17、23、25項修訂是修改選舉制度；第15、19、24、26項是修改選舉權；而第20、22項是修改主要官員權限。也就是說，因應修改政制而修改憲法，是非常正常的事，除了美國之外很多國家都會這樣做。

今天的香港政制，以廿幾年前的思維來看，是否合理？香港政府官員們，還有美國憲法之父們，對法律和法治的意見，我想我會比較相信後者。



附錄：美國憲法27項修訂及其通過日期

1st-10th December 15, 1791
Bill of Rights

11th February 7, 1795
Makes states immune from suits from out-of-state citizens and foreigners not living within the state

12th June 15, 1804
Revises presidential election procedures

13th December 6, 1865
Abolishes slavery

14th July 9, 1868
Defines citizenship, contains the Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, the Equal Protection Clause, and deals with post-Civil War issues.

15th February 3, 1870
Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color

16th February 3, 1913
Permits Congress to levy an income tax

17th April 8, 1913
Establishes the direct election of United States Senators by popular vote

18th January 16, 1919
Prohibited the manufacturing or sale of alcohol within the United States.

19th August 18, 1920
Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on sex.

20th January 23, 1933
Changes the date on which the terms of the President, VP, Members of Congress end and begin

21st December 5, 1933
Repeals the 18th Amendment

22nd February 27, 1951
Limits the number of times that a person can be elected president

23rd March 29, 1961
Grants the District of Columbia electors in the Electoral College.

24th January 23, 1964
Prohibits the revocation of voting rights due to the non-payment of a poll tax.

25th February 10, 1967
Addresses succession to the Presidency and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, as well as responding to Presidential disabilities.

26th July 1, 1971
Prohibits the denial of the right of US citizens, eighteen years of age or older, to vote on account of age.

27th May 7, 1992
Delays laws affecting Congressional salary from taking effect until after the next election of representatives.