An American Caesar

“The Imperial Presidency” was written in 1973 out of Arthur Schlesinger’s concern that the U.S. presidency had exceeded its constitutional limitations. If Schlesinger were merely concerned in 1973, he’d be downright terrified today.

According to Trevor Loudon’s blog, New Zeal, an American Caesar has emerged on the political landscape in the form of our current commander-in-chief.

New Zeal bases its premise on the Presidential Appointment and Streamlining Act (S. 279), which is stampeding through the Senate with Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., clutching at its reins. Since its introduction, seven Republicans jumped on board in support.The stated purpose of the bill is “to reduce the number of executive positions subject to Senate confirmation.” What? Maybe you’ll want to read that again.

Separation of Powers goes hand in hand with the “Checks and balances” that we all learned as children, were built into the Constitution by the Founders.

However, the 17th Amendment dealt a blow to the Constitution that is still being felt today, and this abrogation of the Senate’s responsibilities proves it.

Prior to the passage of the 17th Amendment, US Senators were appointed to office by the State Legislatures. The whole idea was that Senators would represent the interests of the several States, while the House of Representatives answered directly to the People.

With the passage of the 17th, the People were given the responsibility to directly elect their Senators, in effect dealing the States completely out of the Federal government, and turning over real control of the Senate not to the people who elected them, but to the two major political parties that set the political agenda for the entire Country.

Can you get five minutes of personal facetime with your US Senator?? When is the last time you even got a personal response to a concern of yours from your US Senator instead of some boilerplate position pamphlet followed up with never ending requests for more and more money??

Does your local State Representative have any better luck talking with your US Senator than you do??

If your State Representative does get to meet with your US Senator, who does the talking?? Is it your Representative telling the Senator what your area’s real needs are, or is it your Senator telling your Representative what the Party wants you to have??

The very best way to redeem all of these Constitutional sins is to repeal the 17th Amendment, and return accountability of US Senators to the several State Legislatures. That one act alone would remove Billions of dollars from Senatorial reelection campaigns, because the only people a Senator would have to answer to would be your State Legislators, and they would move a lot closer to being true Legislators instead of just another bunch of Politicians.

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