LIBERTY LOST - Cause & Effect

ROAR (Restoring Our American Republic) ^ | August 5, 2007 | By Sterling H. Saunders

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

Giving power and money to Congress is like giving liquor and car keys to teenage boys.
- P.J. O’Rourke

Compromise is: getting rid of your principles a little bit at a time.
- Patrick Lear

[Political Junkie Too]

My first thought is that I’ve never heard of anyone with power willing to support something that might restrain that power.

Which is why this would have to start in the House of Representatives, or through the States calling for an Article V convention on the matter.

-PJ

[Political Junkie Too]

I don’t trust the dem machine here with choosing senators. I am not saying the 17th amendment shouldn’t be revoked, but I do see my senators occasionally now. I can’t imagine all the backroom deals that might go on here as they negotiate who to send to DC.

Hopefully, repealing the 17th amendment would reconnect local politics to national politics. If you don't like the Senators that your state legislature keeps sending to Congress, begin changing your local state representation. It may take time, but that's how it's supposed to be done.

-PJ

[Political Junkie Too]

Cause and effect.

In my opinion, the biggest effect of repealing the 17th amendment was the overwhelming domination of the two national party commitees.

With elected Senators, we have 33 of the most expensive elections that occur every two years. The national parties (DNC and RNC) are responsible for raising campaign funds mostly for these elections, and then for the one Presidential election every four years. What's left over may go to key House races every two years, but there are too many House races to make it economical to fundraise nationally for that many small constituencies.

So, it's the campaign fundraising for the 33 Senate elections every two years that drives the national bloc party politics. Eliminate the Senate elections, and you eliminate the need to raise all that campaign cash. Eliminate the need for tremendous fundraising every two years, and you eliminate the need for nationally-managed party campaigning, which means the influence of the DNC and RNC over the influence of the State legislatures.

-PJ

[Jim Robinson]

You got that right. And as a result, the elected senators are more committed to advancing the interests of their political parties than the interests of the sovereign states they’re supposed to represent.

State sovereignty? How quaint. /sarc

[Sterling Saunders]

Which is why this would have to start in the House of Representatives, or through the States calling for an Article V convention on the matter.

Nope, none of the above. The last thing we want is a convention. But it does start with the State Legislatures. Send me an email to RepealThe17th@aol.com and I’ll send you the plan.

[mo]

JimRob...you might appreciate this link

http://www.nationalreview.com/nrof_bartlett/bartlett200405120748.asp

[Jim Robinson]

Great artcle!