Monday, April 06, 2009

Buck's Soapbox: Repeal the 17th Amendment!

Buck's Soapbox: Repeal the 17th Amendment!; By H. Buchanan Davis

...The 17th Amendment changed the Constitution to allow the people directly to elect their Senators. It also made it where if there existed a vacancy in then Senate then that State's Governor would appoint a temporary replacement. An example of this happened recently when President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton left the Senate for their new roles. Controversy struck when Governor Blagojevich tried to sell Obama's Senate seat. Although Blago's actions may have resurrected talks of repealing the 17th Amendment, people have fought against the 17th Amendment ever since the day it was proposed. In fact, most people don't have so much a problem with the Governor having this power of appointment. It is the change to popular election that bothers some of us. It is interesting to note that Utah rejected the Amendment in 1913 and several other states never ratified it. It only needed two thirds majority of the states ratifying it, however, which it received in 1913. ...

2 comments:

J. Brent Bullock said...

I'm with you. Let's ask folks to add this to the Tea Party agenda! It's great to speak and demonstrate, but we must also take action!

Anonymous said...

The 17th Amendment, like all amendments, actually needed 3/4 of states to ratify it, of course. Back then, if I remember correctly, that meant 36 states (out of 48). However, we would need 38 states today (out of 50) to ratify repeal.

--Mike P.