And Blago ended up selling the Senate seat ANYWAY (AFTER he was arrested!) because the state legislature FAILED to do their job and bar him from doing so (even though they KNEW he had been caught on tape solicting bribes for it!) . As a result, we now have Senator Roland Burris. And yes he was impeached as well. What exactly is your point? Of course he was trying to sell the seat for PERSONAL and not state gain. That will happen if all the other 49 states if you repeal the 17th. If you're delusional enough to believe your state house speaker will decide solely on the criteria of "who's the most qualified person to serve our state, regardless of whether that person helps me", that's your problem. You obviously have a very unrealistic view of state politicans if you believe they're good little public servants who would never dare think of doing things for personal gain.
As for your snarky little "solution" that if I don't like the way my state government is run, I should "MOVE!", the same can be said of you with the federal government, buddy. If don't like our system of electing the upper house of Congress, you are free to MOVE to another country. There are plenty out there that have upper houses whose members are appointed by political insiders and local government bosses. Nobody is forcing you to live in a country with an elected upper house. Since your odds of repealing the 17th amendment are virtually impossible, the ideal solution is to MOVE and find yourself a country that does things the way you want. Canada is right next door and their entire Senate is filled with political hacks appointed for life by government officials, and you'll be pleased to know the citizens of Canada have absolutely no say in the matter. Feel free to move there and you can enjoy your new government overlords and take comfort in the fact you'll have absolutely no power to hold them accountable or vote them out of office.
“And Blago ended up selling the Senate seat ANYWAY (AFTER he was arrested!) because the state legislature FAILED to do their job and bar him from doing so (even though they KNEW he had been caught on tape solicting bribes for it!) . As a result, we now have Senator Roland Burris. And yes he was impeached as well. What exactly is your point?”
You’ve made it, even in one of the most corrupt states in the Union something approaching justice took place, and it was the State legislator that did it. I wouldn’t have even predicted that. Yes there will be bad apples! But the bad apples are the exception not the rule. Even them Bad Apples will generally be inclined to protect their own power in their choices.
Your talking about a minority of a minority of examples and using that to say that the majority don’t work as they would be naturally inclined to do so.
“Of course he was trying to sell the seat for PERSONAL and not state gain. That will happen if all the other 49 states if you repeal the 17th. If you’re delusional enough to believe your state house speaker will decide solely on the criteria of “who’s the most qualified person to serve our state, regardless of whether that person helps me”, that’s your problem. “
Is what im saying going in one ear and out the other?
IN general that “personal” interest by the head of the legislator will be to select someone who will help protect the same’s power.
How is that so hard to beleive?
Just because Blago tried to sell something for money and of course got caught doesn’t mean there aren’t other people interested in the non-monetary(power) benefits of such a seat.
Insolently this is why having the legislator select senators instead of the Governor is a good idea.
While their are only 50 Governors in the Untied States to divide the spoils that might come from 100 Senator’s indiviual power, there are 7,382 State legislators in the United States.
Of course there is a different number for each state ranging from 424 in New Hampshire down to just 49 in Nebraska.
Actual count by state in case you want to know: http://www.empirecenter.org/html/2003/02/legislators_number.cfm
The point is the spoils of power splits a lot more thinly among 49 people then it does 1.
It’s more expensive to buy off 49 people as exist at minimum in Nebraska then it is to buy off just 2.