Posted on 06/30/2013 6:34:28 AM PDT by Jacquerie
I’ve spent a fair amount of time these past few months researching and noodling the cause and effect of the one hundred year old 17th Amendment. I’m especially excited that Mark Levin’s upcoming book will address, certainly among other topics, the horrible 17th and what to do about it.
Consider the awful lot of today’s typically abused senator. He or she is pulled this way and that by hundreds of interests. Every competing interest has its hands out for tax subsidies, special legislative carve outs, or both. Since constitutionally enumerated powers long ago went the way of the dodo bird, there is no telling what outrageous demands our senators face. His unsaid task of course, is to figure out which interests best promote his reelection. It is not easy. Among these interests is his political party. When a senator and president belong to the same party, rest assured THE first interest a senator attends to, is his president.
As party leader, presidents can encourage or discourage primary challengers, direct their national committee to cut off campaign funds to wayward senators, or open the dollar floodgates to dependable soldiers. Still, retention of their jobs is still job #1, and the careful senator must weigh party loyalty against possible voter outrage around election time. When the outcome of keeping faith with his president predictably jeopardizes reelection, the penitent senator must kiss the ring and ask for an indulgence. Taken together, these constant political calculations require tremendous work and impose enormous stress.
BTW, where in the various machinations among members of the world’s most deliberative body does the welfare of his state and nation come into the picture? Uh . . . .
It occurred to me that if the 17th is repealed, perhaps no job could be easier than that of senator. As opposed to the time of our Framing, senators today could quickly determine the mood and attitude of their bosses in state legislatures. With a few phone calls, emails, texting . . . today’s senator could stay in close touch with constituents. How difficult could it be to stay in near daily contact with a state house speaker, senate majority leader and ranking members? “Good morning Tom. Senator Bedfellow here. Say, President Kenyan is thinking about nominating a weirdo lawyer from Harvard to the supreme court who thinks the Nigerian constitution is just swell. I should oppose, right?” Duh.
Back to seriousness. Repeal the 17th and watch party, presidential and media influence over senators decline. Watch a return to better separation of powers. No longer would senators have to electorally fear criticizing the first black guy in the White House, or upsetting delicate mexican, muzzie or homosexual feelings.
Replacement of hundreds of interests with state legislatures would return the responsibility of our senate back to where it belongs, with the states. Repeal the 17th Amendment.
I shouldn't speculate what may happen today if recall of popularly elected senators is allowed. I only know the Framers rejected it due to their experience under the confederation. States then did not have to send delegates to Congress. The easiest way to defeat a proposal was to simply not show up and deny Congress a quorum. After the peace treaty of 1783, what passed for ineffective government under the Articles of Confederation was dissolving due to simple lack of interest on the part of the states.
Would recall mean the end of the senator's term, or would the state legislature or people replace him/her to fill out the rest of the term? If the people elect a senator, should legislators have power to annul the election?
I despise the popular election of senators, but wonder if senators should have to answer to two masters. I think it would create more problems than it solves.
There they go again...
Repeal the 17th ! Power to the politicians !
You could pitch liberal state legislatures in cash-strapped states with a “tax the Internet” approach. If they controlled their Senators they’d have half the fight won.
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