Think Political Parties Are Destroying America? Thank the 17th Amendment! by Todd Huston

The New Media Journal ^ | 5 june 2007 | Todd Huston

[K-oneTexas]

Good article about an old idea.

[Lurker]

The 17th is the single worst Constitutional Amendment every ratified.

Bar none.

L

[rightwingextremist1776]

Allowing a personal income tax is a very close second....

[oblomov]

Maybe so, but the 14th, 16th, and 24th are not far behind.

[fix]

That is a bell that cannot be “unrung” now because of the nature of the amendment process. What senator in his right mind is going to vote himself out of what has essentially become a lifetime appointment? The article hits the nail on the head, but I’m afraid it’s about as productive as pissing in the wind.

[Lurker]

The others are bad, but nothing went so far in destroying the last vestiges of Federalism than the 17th.

Senators have become nothing more than Representatives with longer terms.

Not a good thing.

L

[PA Engineer]

Ditto!

[SJSAMPLE]

Wha?

The Eighteenth Amendment was the real travesty !!!

[darkangel82]

If we still had states appointing senators, we’d never see a GOP majority again. This author is either stupid, or a Democrat(but I repeat myself.)

[Lurker]

If we still had states appointing senators, we’d never see a GOP majority again.

There would never have been a Dem majority in the first place.

L

[rightwingextremist1776]

Yep, lots of bad things came from our “progressive” past.

[liberty or death]

2nd amendment bump!

[Beth528]

Republicans for Amnesty; Flood Their Offices With Email Telling Them You Will Vote Them Out

http://www.savage-productions.com/republicans_for_amnesty.html

[HaveHadEnough]

Agreed. The 18th was the worst.

Just because someone doesn't like the results of how his fellow citizens vote for a senatorial candidate, doesn't mean that the idea of people choosing who represents them in Congress is a bad idea.

Right now, only 1/3 of our federal government is directly chosen by the people. Before the 17th, it was 1/6 (one of two houses in one of three branches of our government). 1/6 is too small.

[RightWhale]

This is one of the reasons FR exists.

[Teacher317]

The 16th and 17th were passed when the Socialist party had a decent influence in American politics. Their quickly growing numbers (from 13,000 registered voters in 1901 to 118,000 in 1912) made them an occasional player on the stage. The 17th was a Eugene Debs creation. (Debs got 400,000 votes for President in 1904)

[Lurker]

You really need to reread the Federalist papers. There were some very good reasons why Senators weren't popularly elected.

Those reasons are just as valid today as they were in 1780.

L

[Las Vegas Ron]

Off the top of my head, anything past the 10th was a bad idea

[rimtop56]

I’m not arguing; I just want to understand what you mean. The article says that by using the popular vote to elect senators, the states lost their power and representation in federal government. You said that the amendment destroyed the last vestige of federalism, but federalism refers to the power being at the federal government level. So, didn’t that amendment, therefore, strengthen federalism and make it paramount vs. states’ rights?

[sand88]

What senator in his right mind is going to vote himself out of what has essentially become a lifetime appointment?

I believe Article 5 allows for the Amendment process to also be started in the State Legislatures.. I will have to check that. Our Founders were quite wise (unless todays corrupt leaders)