It’s nice to have exchanges with people here who understand the Constitution.
I actually do practice (not teach:)) Constitutional law so I’m pretty sure when I give my thoughts on these topics.
The sad thing is that the court could really be a for for good in protecting liberty if it wasn’t so politicized.
There are some very complicated issues, but to have a sure four votes (presumably) to allow this IRS rule is just pitiful. If only there was one honest liberal on the court it would be nice. But no, there isn’t.
You were spot on regarding the 17th.
Absent the 17th, if we still had a senate of the states, we would never have had a single member of Scotus who was hostile to the 9th and 10th amendments.
Scotus has done enormous damage to our republic, all because the states weren’t around to defend themselves.