Posted on 12/04/2018 7:50:34 AM PST by yesthatjallen
Former Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) penned an op-ed Tuesday calling for the Senate to be abolished and for elections to be publicly funded.
Dingell, who represented Michigan in the House for over 59 years, wrote for the Atlantic a series of suggestions to address the "unprecedented cynicism about the nobility of public service itself."
The former lawmaker noted that in 1958 a survey from the University of Michigan found that 73 percent of Americans trusted the federal government “to do the right thing almost always or most of the time.” In 2017, the same study conducted by the Pew Research Center found that number down to just 18 percent.
One of the causes of frayed trust identified by Dingell was how a "minority of obnoxious asses can hold the entire country hostage to extremist views" because of the electoral college system and a Senate that provides two representatives to each state regardless of size.
"California has almost 40 million people, while the 20 smallest states have a combined population totaling less than that," he wrote. "Yet because of an 18th-century political deal, those 20 states have 40 senators, while California has just two. These sparsely populated, usually conservative states can block legislation supported by a majority of the American people. That’s just plain crazy."
Dingell also suggested moving toward full electoral participation by automatically registering all American citizens to vote when they turn 18 as well as campaign finance reform to improve accountability.
"Public service should not be a commodity, and elected officials should not have to rent themselves out to the highest bidder in order to get in to (or stay in) office," Dingell wrote.
That’s my preference - repeal the 17th.
And the 16th too, while we’re at it.
Bingo - along with the 16th. That should be the primary platform of an Article V convention.
"An avid sportsman and hunter, he strongly opposed gun control, and is a former board member of the National Rifle Association.[29] For many years, Dingell received an A+ rating from the NRA.[29] Dingell helped make firearms exempt from the 1972 Consumer Product Safety Act so that the Consumer Product Safety Commission had no authority to recall defective guns." (wikipedia)
But then huge on single payer, but a WW2 vet who got a medal from Obama.
I am struggling to buy this from him about the senate..gotta look into it more.
Dingell is a radical anti-constitutional communist ideologue, too stupid to know his “solution” would lead to secession by states unwilling to live under the jack boots of the populous states. The framers knew this.
If Dingell is really serious, why not break up California and other Liberal overcrowded states into smaller “nation and city-states” each with two Senators. I have no doubt some in California would welcome the new state of Jefferson.
Bit then, they would probably lose control over the Conservative areas.
He is traitorous subhuman scum.
There is a legal and constitutionally valid method for changing the Constitution, Dingell.
Yes, he did. There are audio clips all over. Naturally, it was suppressed by the fake news media as the Democrats needed all the air cover they could get ramming Obamacare through.
F U John Dingellberry
“Dingell, who represented Michigan in the House for over 59 years”
Did he say anything about Term Limits?
Also repeal the 16th and 19th Amendments.
Of course he has no problem with an unelected judicial legislature of nine persons jamming their liberalism down our throats.
If Republicans THINK FOR A MOMENT that this is not part of some Democrat strategy to de-legitimatize the Senate for its eventual abolition, they deserve EXACTLY what they’ll be getting.
What amazes me is that the Democrats can win ANYTHING, given their unbridled HATRED of this country.
...but I know, Joe Manchin is a ‘good guy’, he’d NEVER support any of this crap (except when he does).
Usual communist stupidity
Benjamin's father. Learned something new today.
Uh - Johnny, you senile 93-year-old gasbag - KKKalifornistan has got at least 5 US Senators, and is working on getting a 6th:
Dianne "Chinagirl" Feinstein
Kammy "Willie's Whore" Harris
Catherine Cortez "Northern MeKKKsico" Masto
Jacky "Ballot Harvest" Rosen
Kyrsten "Jeffy's Enema" Sinema
The KKKratzis should have Kyl's seat in Arizona in a jiffy with some hearty ballot-harvesting in MariKKKopa KKKounty...
Most Republicans dismiss it as 'crazy talk'.
They may be crazy but they're also serious.
They will destroy any institution to seize power.
It’s been that way as long as I can remember and that began just before “I Like Ike” buttons were popular. I bet if you ask the question “Who do your Senators represent?” of a thousand random people with college degrees and white collar jobs you might get fifty who could give the correct answer.
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