Returning Power Back to the States

April 6, 2003 | dixierepublican1

[dixierepublican1]

A new non-profit organization, Friends For America, is organizing to educate the public on the need to return power to States by returning to the election of US Senators by State legislatures.

Friends For America is looking for volunteers in each State to help with organizing state and local chapters. These chapters will then work to educate citizens on 17th Amendment issues.

For more information, go to friendsforamerica.org or friendsforamerica.com and volunteer to participate in this new movement.

Friends For America's message is simple and powerful. The Founding Fathers placed the power to select US Senators in the hands of the State legislators. This created a vertical separation of powers and gave the States a strong voice in the decisions of the national government. For over 100 years, America enjoyed limited government and maximum liberty.

However, the passage of the 17th Amendment in 1913 took that power from the States and gave it to the people. Since this Amendment, the federal government has grown huge, the State's have lost power, and the liberties of the people have been chipped away.

[Commander8]

Repeal the 16th and 17th Amendments. Reinstate the Second and Tenth.

[jackd]

I can imagine few political items more rife for political abuse than this one. The 17th Amendment exists because of the abuses of state legislators in selecting senators at the beginning of the last century. I live in Maryland, a state that has not elected a Republican majority legislature since the post-Civil War era. Despite this Maryland has had many Republican senators in the last century. At least with the 17th Amendment there exisits the POSSIBILITY of a two party system. With your proposal there is none.

[meenie]

Your example of a single state is probably true. There are others that have the same history. Politics are corrupt in most states. The value of elction by the legislatures meant that the states controlled one house of the national legislature. Amendment ten and the rights of states were protected from the national majority. I don't see that now since direct election. The welfare, nanny nation that we have now would be impossible under the old rules regarding the Senate.

[B4Ranch]

>>Politics are corrupt in most states. <<

Do you know of even one that isn't?

[B4Ranch]

>>Since this Amendment, the federal government has grown huge, the State's have lost power, and the liberties of the people have been chipped away.<<

Tell me of one Governor who supports the idea. If they don't support it that means they are against it. You a searching for political courage. It is as rare as an honest politician.

I love the idea but


"MOST people are terrified of the responsibility that comes with independent thought. They would rather take comfort in leaving it to others to provide guidance -- even if based upon myth, logic, insight, fantasy, greed, power-lust, etc. Such people would typically react to any suggestion of questioning the leaders and their edicts as a threat."

[NMC EXP]

The 17th exists to centralize power in the federal govt and to make it cheaper for corporations to buy influence with senators.

Regards

J.R.