Posted on 06/29/2012 10:32:59 AM PDT by buffaloguy
Sounds good, but remember once in office they have the power. The power is more important to a politician than their own pay.
>> I think it is time to examine where we wish to go in the future
Consider taking inventory of the immaculate conservatives that will abstain from voting this November.
Not to belabor this but that is what the 10th Amendment was supposed to do. However, what we are seeing is the after-effect of passing the 17th Amendment that allows the direct election of senators.
Before passage of the 17th Amendment, senators were selected by each state legislature and appointed by the governor. This, then, creatd an environment in which the senators were beholden to the state and would aggressively defend measures that would adversely affect their state.
After passage of the 17th Amendment, senators were beholden to the individual voters and big money donors (just like the House!) that helped elect them and keep them in office. As an entity, the states took a back seat to the donors that kept senators in office. This, IMO, is why we have seen the erosion of the 10th Amendment over the years. The states haven't been particularly interested in enforcing the 10th Amendment (not that they have any particular influence over their senators) and the senators feel no obligation to the state because they are no longer beholden to the state legislature or the governor for their senate seat.
The effect of States having equal representation in the senate was historically somewhat compromised by the long duration of their tenure.(hamlition’s intentional “federalist” Idea). Even still the institution was infinitely more effective in accomplishing the desired objective of helping to check Washington than its mutilation has been.
The irony is the progressives got rid of State senates allegedly on the grounds that they were corrupt. But nothing was more corrupt than what they replaced them with. And to be frank much of what the press at the time labeled corruption was in fact a form of State self-interest perhaps a little miss-applied but at least it was applied.
It isn’t about whether Boehner has much of a say in the state conventions IT IS however about the state of the leadership of the REPULICAN PARTY, or to be more precise the total lack of fighting spirit ,bloodlust if you wish ,’elan as the French used to call it before WWI, or just have a backbone.
The current cast of characters that are the “leadership” of the Republican party would rather suck donkey dick & surrender to the socialists/communists of the Democrat party than fight to the death which is what such a convention would require if you have any hope this side of hell of keeping any of what few freedoms you currently have.
Sadly I must respectfully disagree with you as the TEA party wing of the GOP & the TEA party are not yet strong enough for that sort of fight just yet due to the fact that both the Democrat party & the GOP~e/Republican party leadership would both be working together to defeat the folks trying to bring the government to heel.
That is why Senators server “at the pleasure” and Congresscritters are subject to recall. Have to make it an easy recall - 10% of the voters in the district or something.
When it comes to senators I think the States each need to decide the terms of recall & appointment.
Were it my state(Texas) that we were talking about I would have the means of recall & appointment be identical. The existing senator would be called home to testify before the legislator and explain his votes & federal policy as it relates to Texas.
New 1-3 new candidate for the position would be optionally nominated by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House respectively. On which 1 to 2 votes on which of them shall continue in that office.
When it comes to senators I think our States each need to decide the terms of recall & appointment.
Were it my state(Texas) that we were talking about I would have the means of recall & appointment be identical. The existing senator would be called home to testify before the legislator and explain his votes & federal policy as it relates to Texas.
New 1-3 new candidate for the position would be optionally nominated by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House respectively. On which 1 to 2 votes on which of them shall continue in that office.
The Amendments? Not necessarily a bad idea. I think Federal judges need to face at minimum retention elections in the district they serve, or by winning a plurality in electoral college nationally during presidential years in the case of SCOTUS.
No way in hell. Who do you think is going to get elected to the Convention? The same moron political class that is currently running the Supreme Court, the Congress and the Presidency.
buffaloguy, why not consider using the 34 subjects already submitted by the states for amendment issues? These include repeal of income tax, term limit, state sharing of federal revenue, initiative, referendum and recall, balanced budget and many others. The applications can be read at www.foavc.org.
Those who argue the merits of such proposals are on the right track. The merits should be argued and in time resolved. Those state “we don’t need a new constitution” or words to that effect are demonstrating their clear ignorance. If they say they support the Constitution, don’t believe them. They have obviously never read its text. Article V only allows for a convention to propose amendments, no more and the states long ago reached the necessary two thirds requirement to cause a convention call with 49 state submitting over 700 applications.
These applications can be read at www.foavc.org.
I find interesting that since my last visit to this forum one major difference exists: the number of people advocating the incorrect position has shrank dramatically. This is good. Accuracy is slowly replacing hysteria.
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