Repeal the 17th Amendment!

[MuadDib]

A lot of us wonder today why Congress is FUBARed. The answer is simple. One house of the US Congress no longer functions the way it was designed by the Founder and Framers: the US Senate.

According to Article 1 Section 3, Clause 1:

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote.

Originally, US Senators were not elected by the people. They were appointed by the state legislatures. The House of Representatives were elected by the people to represent the interests of the people. The Senate was appointed by the state legislatures to represent the inerests of the states. That kept senators out of the political process.

That was changed 1910 by the progressives when they changed that with the 17th Amendment:

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

Now the Senate is subject to the same potitical processes as the House and nothing more that a higher form of the House of Representatives.

Hilarity ensues!

 

[Douger]

Yeah. You were framed all right.

 

[Oddball]

Repeal the 17th Amendment!

Agreed.

 

[zzzz]

Why no poll?

 

[editec]

The Senate was appointed by the state legislatures to represent the inerests of the states. That kept senators out of the political process.

Yeah, sure it did.

 

[konradv]

The Senate was appointed by the state legislatures to represent the inerests of the states. That kept senators out of the political process.

Yeah, sure it did.

Exactly, since when are legislatures not political? Until recently the Senate was applauded for its collegiality nearly 100 years after the amendment, indicating whatever seems to be going wrong has a more proximal cause than the 17th.

 

[Listening]

It did not keep senators out of the political process. In fact that is the reason the states so stupidly turned over their watchdogs at the federal level to the people.

The 17th removed a huge structural component of the U.S. Constitution. The house was to dwell on what the people wanted, but the senate was there to make sure the fed didn't try to give them what it was not empowered to give them....thus looking out for states powers as described in the 10th amendment.

I say we repeal the stupid thing and get back (yep go back, get back, return, turn back the clock) to the day when states could tailor things to the way they wanted them.

Romneycare for Mass....no problem. Have at it Mass.

Don't want it in AZ or KS. Don't have to have it.

It's a great country.

 

[whitehall]

Watch out when people suggest that you give up your right to vote and support a less messy form or government that works smoother without your input. I think the Germans tried it back in the 30's.

 

[Sallow]

Get rid of the Senate, altogether.

Really..why is it needed?

 

[Sallow]

It did not keep senators out of the political process. In fact that is the reason the states so stupidly turned over their watchdogs at the federal level to the people.

The 17th removed a huge structural component of the U.S. Constitution. The house was to dwell on what the people wanted, but the senate was there to make sure the fed didn't try to give them what it was not empowered to give them....thus looking out for states powers as described in the 10th amendment.

I say we repeal the stupid thing and get back (yep go back, get back, return, turn back the clock) to the day when states could tailor things to the way they wanted them.

Romneycare for Mass....no problem. Have at it Mass.

Don't want it in AZ or KS. Don't have to have it.

It's a great country.

Yeah..like that time some of the country thought you could own human beings..and others didn't.

Great stuff..

 

[jillian]

I love how rightingnuts are whining about the house that's keeping the nutbars in the House under control. If it was reversed and the House was dem, you'd be saying that only the senate should exist.

The pretend constitutionalists hate the constitution. It's so funny.

 

[rightwinger]

I trust the people voting for Senators over having them appointed in a back room deal

We need to repeal the Third Amendment!

 

[mudwhistle]

The only problem I have with getting rid of the Senate is it removes one of the checks and balances to government.

If the sheeple allow the Democrats to take everything over again what's to stop the House from trouncing all over our rights?

I think the system works fine the way it is. It just is going to take time to weed out all of the scumbags.

 

[jillian]

*yawn*

 

[Sallow]

I love how rightingnuts are whining about the house that's keeping the nutbars in the House under control. If it was reversed and the House was dem, you'd be saying that only the senate should exist.

The pretend constitutionalists hate the constitution. It's so funny.

That not the argument, really. They want to remove the right to vote for senators and let governors appoint them. And generally that leads to cronyism.

Personally..I'd be in favor of getting rid of the Senate..if they wanted to go that route and gerrymandering. There needs to be a more fair and equitable method of determining districts as well as a more democratic way of electing out leaders. The Electorial college is completely antiquated and makes absolutely no sense. Our current congressional configuration harkens back to the English Parliment of Lords and Commons. It's ridiculous.

 

[mudwhistle]

I trust the people voting for Senators over having them appointed in a back room deal

We need to repeal the Third Amendment!

Sure you do......after seeing that NBC poll. (Bogus I might add)

Wonder if you would trust the sheeple if the poll said Romney 55 Obama 35.

 

[Oddball]

I love how rightingnuts are whining about the house that's keeping the nutbars in the House under control. If it was reversed and the House was dem, you'd be saying that only the senate should exist.

The pretend constitutionalists hate the constitution. It's so funny.

That not the argument, really. They want to remove the right to vote for senators and let governors appoint them. And generally that leads to cronyism.

Personally..I'd be in favor of getting rid of the Senate..if they wanted to go that route and gerrymandering. There needs to be a more fair and equitable method of determining districts as well as a more democratic way of electing out leaders. The Electorial college is completely antiquated and makes absolutely no sense. Our current congressional configuration harkens back to the English Parliment of Lords and Commons. It's ridiculous.

Talk about people who hate the Constitution.

 

[JWBooth]

Repeal the 19th while we are at it.

 

[rightwinger]

Repeal the 19th while we are at it.

Why split hairs?

We don't need militias any more. Let's repeal the second amendment

 

[mudwhistle]

Repeal the 19th while we are at it.

Why split hairs?

We don't need militias any more. Let's repeal the second amendment

Sure....let's leave everything up to the government to decide, let them decide what's best for us.