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The 17th Amendment and Consent of the Governed

Posted on 06/14/2014 2:02:26 AM PDT by Jacquerie

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1 posted on 06/14/2014 2:02:27 AM PDT by Jacquerie
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To: Resolute Conservative; VerySadAmerican; Nuc 1.1; MamaTexan; Political Junkie Too; jeffc; 1010RD; ...
17th Amendment Ping!

Freepmail me to join or jump.

2 posted on 06/14/2014 2:04:04 AM PDT by Jacquerie (To restore the 10th Amendment, repeal the 17th. Article V.)
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To: Jacquerie
From Article V

...and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.

One might argue that those states not ratifying the 17th amendment are exempt from it.

3 posted on 06/14/2014 2:21:48 AM PDT by SeeSharp
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To: Jacquerie
My copy of the 17th Amendment establishes the requirement that there will be two senators from each state and the term will be six years. Each senator gets one vote. And it contains procedures to fill vacancies.

Seems okay to me. What am I missing that you see as so troubling that we need to repeal the 17th Amendment? Please tell me.

4 posted on 06/14/2014 2:23:41 AM PDT by Rapscallion (Obama stands for the corruption of America in all aspects.)
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To: Rapscallion; Jacquerie
What am I missing that you see as so troubling that we need to repeal the 17th Amendment? Please tell me.

Prior to the 17th amendment, which provided for popular election of Senators, the state legislatures elected the Senators.

Senators thus represented the institution of the State, while the State's Congressmen represented the people of the State.

The 17th Amendment is thus a major reason why the states have lost so much power to the federal government over the past 100 years.

5 posted on 06/14/2014 2:31:31 AM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: Ignorance on parade.)
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To: SeeSharp

Excellent point.


6 posted on 06/14/2014 2:33:09 AM PDT by Jacquerie (To restore the 10th Amendment, repeal the 17th. Article V.)
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To: Jacquerie
agree with all this article. the 17th is the source of all our troubles and this huge government

under the guidance of Democrat president woodrow Wilson the 17th amendment was ratified in 1913

7 posted on 06/14/2014 2:33:57 AM PDT by Democrat_media (Obama ordered IRS to rig 2012 election and must resign)
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To: okie01

Thank you


8 posted on 06/14/2014 2:35:48 AM PDT by Rapscallion (Obama stands for the corruption of America in all aspects.)
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To: Jacquerie

I agree with the author that the 17th amendment is the issue that has caused the downfall of the Republic.

However, the author failed to address that the states had to ratify the amendment for it to be put in force. The states did themselves in.

Repealing the 17th amendment would go a long way to bringing America back to a Federal Republic.


9 posted on 06/14/2014 3:07:29 AM PDT by enotheisen (CMSGT USAF Ret)
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To: okie01

few people understand the importance of that distinction


10 posted on 06/14/2014 4:02:10 AM PDT by sten (fighting tyranny never goes out of style)
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To: SeeSharp
One might argue that those states not ratifying the 17th amendment are exempt from it.

I don't see how you can make that argument unless you also want to argue that those states that didn't ratify the 13th Amendment can still have slavery or those states that didn't ratify the 2nd Amendment can totally ban gun ownership.

11 posted on 06/14/2014 4:12:25 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: enotheisen
However, the author failed to address that the states had to ratify the amendment for it to be put in force.

Uh, no I did not fail to address that.

12 posted on 06/14/2014 4:13:26 AM PDT by Jacquerie (To restore the 10th Amendment, repeal the 17th. Article V.)
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To: Jacquerie

Get rid of automatic tax withholding too. Make people write a check and move tax day to Oct 31, right before the election.


13 posted on 06/14/2014 4:15:34 AM PDT by VRWC For Truth (Roberts has perverted the Constitution)
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To: okie01
Senators thus represented the institution of the State, while the State's Congressmen represented the people of the State.

Which is why that without the 17th Amendment David Dewhurst would currently be the junior senator from Texas, Bob Bennett would be the junior senator from Utah, and Thad Cochran would be getting ready for the general election.

14 posted on 06/14/2014 4:17:04 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: Jacquerie
Who were/are the politicians responsible the this "fundamental transformation" to take more, to solidify power to the leviathan that is FEDGOV? Deceivers, liars, thieves, criminals, socialists, elites, totalitarians.

IDENTIFY them. Understand their tactics. DEPOPULATE them from the body politic.

But when the law, by means of its necessary agent, force, imposes upon men a regulation of labor, a method or a subject of education, a religious faith or creed — then the law is no longer negative; it acts positively upon people. It substitutes the will of the legislator for their own wills; the initiative of the legislator for their own initiatives. When this happens, the people no longer need to discuss, to compare, to plan ahead; the law does all this for them. Intelligence becomes a useless prop for the people; they cease to be men; they lose their personality, their liberty, their property. - The Law; Bastiat

The author of The Spirit of Laws has shown by what art the legislator should direct his institutions toward each of these objectives.... But suppose that the legislator mistakes his proper objective, and acts on a principle different from that indicated by the nature of things? Suppose that the selected principle sometimes creates slavery, and sometimes liberty; sometimes wealth, and sometimes population; sometimes peace, and sometimes conquest? This confusion of objective will slowly enfeeble the law and impair the constitution.- The Law; Bastiat

When a politician views society from the seclusion of his office, he is struck by the spectacle of the inequality that he sees. He deplores the deprivations which are the lot of so many of our brothers, deprivations which appear to be even sadder when contrasted with luxury and wealth.

Perhaps the politician should ask himself whether this state of affairs has not been caused by old conquests and lootings, and by more recent legal plunder. Perhaps he should consider this proposition: Since all persons seek well-being and perfection, would not a condition of justice be sufficient to cause the greatest efforts toward progress, and the greatest possible equality that is compatible with individual responsibility? Would not this be in accord with the concept of individual responsibility which God has willed in order that mankind may have the choice between vice and virtue, and the resulting punishment and reward?

But the politician never gives this a thought. His mind turns to organizations, combinations, and arrangements — legal or apparently legal. He attempts to remedy the evil by increasing and perpetuating the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder. We have seen that justice is a negative concept. Is there even one of these positive legal actions that does not contain the principle of plunder? -The Law; Bastiat

Here I encounter the most popular fallacy of our times. It is not considered sufficient that the law should be just; it must be philanthropic. Nor is it sufficient that the law should guarantee to every citizen the free and inoffensive use of his faculties for physical, intellectual, and moral self-improvement. Instead, it is demanded that the law should directly extend welfare, education, and morality throughout the nation.-The Law; Bastiat

This is the seductive lure of socialism. And I repeat again: These two uses of the law are in direct contradiction to each other. We must choose between them. A citizen cannot at the same time be free and not free.- The Law; Bastiat

Above all, if you wish to be strong, begin by rooting out every particle of socialism that may have crept into your legislation.-The Law; Bastiat

Repeal the 17th. DISMANTLE their collectives.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States

15 posted on 06/14/2014 5:06:51 AM PDT by PGalt
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To: DoodleDawg
Maybe those states would still have Bennett, Dewhurst and Cochran for senator. I doubt it, but let's say you are right.

Now that Bennett, Dewhurst and Cochran each work for a couple hundred legislators who keep very close track of their votes, what is the chance they will risk their jobs, and vote to the detriment of their states?

Would they even consider consenting to sitting judges hostile to the 10th Amendment?

By the design of the Framers, it was expected that less than virtuous men and states would look out for their interests. By doing so, they would keep the new federal government in its constitutional box.

The system worked well before 1913. It will again.

16 posted on 06/14/2014 5:15:11 AM PDT by Jacquerie (To restore the 10th Amendment, repeal the 17th. Article V.)
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To: Jacquerie

And on a side note...

Outside money influence and “cross-over” voting to pick your candidate will screech to a halt...

And in a state that has a few big cities that dominate in population the LOCAL state rep gets ONE vote to elect his senator. I’m sure the citizens in upstate NY are just thrilled with Chuck Schumer...

We would bring back representation to ALL citizens in a state...


17 posted on 06/14/2014 5:25:59 AM PDT by bfh333 ("We can evade reality, but we cannot evade the consequences of evading reality.")
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To: DoodleDawg
Would you be put out if the people were not represented in Congress?
18 posted on 06/14/2014 5:26:07 AM PDT by Jacquerie (To restore the 10th Amendment, repeal the 17th. Article V.)
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To: Jacquerie
Would you be put out if the people were not represented in Congress?

I'm not sure I understand your question.

19 posted on 06/14/2014 5:30:05 AM PDT by DoodleDawg
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To: Jacquerie

The people are not now represented in Congress.


20 posted on 06/14/2014 5:38:17 AM PDT by sport
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