Repeal the 17th Amendment
American Thinker,
by
Francis P. Sempa
Original Article
Posted By: Imright,
9/23/2021 2:36:29 AM
On May 13, 1912, Congress passed the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was ratified on April 8, 1913. The 17th Amendment instituted the direct election by voters of U.S. senators who until then were chosen by state legislatures pursuant to Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution. The Amendment was part of the early 20th century’s progressive movement reforms. It is time to repeal that amendment.The remarkable group of men who devised our Constitution and the Bill of Rights sought to enhance the powers of the federal government (which were ineffectual under the Articles of Confederation), but share that power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches
Reply 1 - Posted by:
stablemoney 9/23/2021 3:42:00 AM (No. 923558)
I am not hearing the GOP call for this, nor much of anything else. In any case, they never do what they say, so you probable should plan on enjoying your supper without it.
2 people like this.
I have entertained this myself. But, it's much easier to steal a few seats in any state's legislative elections which would give Democrats permanent control of everything. The Democrats have totally corrupted the election processes in too many states. And they have no shame in cheating.
6 people like this.
And the 16th, while we are at it.
10 people like this.
Reply 4 - Posted by:
Strike3 9/23/2021 5:21:33 AM (No. 923602)
A body that can claim unlimited power for themselves, when persuaded by unscrupulous people, will do so. Who votes for the frequent pay raises for Congress? Who votes to exempt Congress from distasteful government creations like Obamacare? Who votes for free services and top-tier medical care for themselves?
The Roman Senate voted to assassinate Julius Caesar. Our 535 corruptocrats have probably crossed similar lines as well.
2 people like this.
Reply 5 - Posted by:
chance_232 9/23/2021 6:30:45 AM (No. 923646)
The purpose of a senator is to represent the interests of his state. After the 17th, it was to represent the interests of himself and party.
Imagine a senate that didn't have to fundraise 24/7 for re-election. And imagine a senate where the home state could sack him for one wrong vote.
Repealing the 17th would go a looooong way towards restoring a constitutional Republic.
23 people like this.
Reply 6 - Posted by:
tsquare 9/23/2021 7:38:39 AM (No. 923706)
YES!
3 people like this.
Reply 7 - Posted by:
Sanchin 9/23/2021 8:29:58 AM (No. 923745)
Time to face reality, the Constitution and this Government have been constantly chipped away at and redesigned since the Civil War so much that it is now unrecognizable from its original intent and purpose. The cancer that has now killed this country has been eating away at it for decades. Congress has been stabbing this country and infecting it with poison for years.
2 people like this.
Reply 8 - Posted by:
Laotzu 9/23/2021 8:59:39 AM (No. 923766)
We can't even enforce what is already written in the Constitution, the Left simply invents its own text without adverse consequence, and the Author thinks we can solve problems by rewriting it expressly? I don't think so. That would necessitate a foundation of civic virtue and ethics we no longer enjoy.
1 person likes this.
Reply 9 - Posted by:
NamVet70 9/23/2021 9:30:30 AM (No. 923794)
I have a hard time believing a great change like this could happen, but I am also amazed to see the degree to which our 2nd amendment rights are being restored. In Texas I can actually go armed if I choose to. Legally without even getting written permission first! The leftists are probably beginning to cry in their beer over the way the citizens are asserting their rights these days.
2 people like this.
Reply 10 - Posted by:
red1066 9/23/2021 10:28:10 AM (No. 923857)
It's nice to dream once in a while.
1 person likes this.
Reply 11 - Posted by:
Luandir 9/23/2021 12:55:39 PM (No. 924008)
Good luck with this. The biggest obstacle would be getting the very Senators who benefit from the current system to take the risk of changing that system.
But yes, it's a good idea. Repeatedly running for election has turned Senators into vote whores, trading ever-more government largesse for continuing in office. Imagine what would happen to federal spending if one house of Congress no longer had an interest in bribing their voters.
0 people like this.
Reply 12 - Posted by:
DVC 9/23/2021 12:55:59 PM (No. 924009)
I have advocated for this for a couple of decades, but 90% of knowledgeable political people have literally no idea what it is when you mention it. It is, sadly, very far down in the weeds.
It would be good, because Senators were intended to be strong partisans for their states, driven by both a will for the country to succeed, but by a partisan view in favor of their state. That would actually make the USA stronger, much the same way that many individual "partisan" choices on what is best for me and my business make the free market economy work the best of any kind of economy.
But, the odds of this happening approach zero pretty closely, sad to say.
0 people like this.
Reply 13 - Posted by:
bgarrett 9/23/2021 1:20:44 PM (No. 924038)
And repeal the amendment that allows women to vote!
0 people like this.
Reply 14 - Posted by:
Bobfh 9/23/2021 2:19:57 PM (No. 924098)
If we can get enough states to vote for an Article V Convention of States, and then actually have a Convention of States, this should be on the agenda.
0 people like this.
Reply 15 - Posted by:
doctorfixit 9/23/2021 7:55:45 PM (No. 924415)
It's far more important to repeal the 16th Amendment.
0 people like this.
Reply 16 - Posted by:
Rumblehog 9/23/2021 11:55:30 PM (No. 924571)
Institute Term Limits
Move all the Executive Branch Bureaucracies to North Dakota
Eliminate the Capital Gains Tax
Eliminate the Death Tax
Institute a Flat Tax
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0 people like this.
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