I believe that answers to the above would be a good start to understanding what's going on right now. There are probably even more important questions and I have no doubt that answers to the above would prompt even more questions. The ultimate one is, do we live in a Constitutional Republic any more?
The bottom line answer to your last question is no, we do not live in a Constitutional Republic. That died with ratification of the 17th amendment when the states gave up their representation in Congress in favor of direct election of senators.
It has proven to be a disastrous amendment that gave rise to a professional political class. The politicians were able to rig the system to essentially permit senators for life. Although the same can happen in the House, at least there is enough turnover in the House to keep bringing in fresh faces. The senate has become a de facto House of Lords, but worse, because they need to raise enormous sums to run statewide every six years.
Whatever corruption the progressive reformers of 100 years ago thought they were eliminating with the 17th is a thousand times worse now.
3 posted on
01/29/2018 7:19:07 AM PST by
Ouderkirk
(Life is about ass, you're either covering, hauling, laughing, kicking, kissing, or behaving like one)