What is up with wanting to dump the 17th amendment all of a sudden?

[cynatnite]

I've heard this a few times over the last week and I don't get it. They don't want people to have US Senators? I don't get it.

[WeDidIt]

1. It's been a far right meme for more than a century

They prefer state run political machines appointing Senators to a direct vote by the people of a state.

[cynatnite]

2. Can't believe I haven't heard of this until recently...

Thanks for the info.

[Gman2]

4. Thats crap, they see the writing on the demographic wall.

[The Northerner]

3. I think some people think that decision should be returned to the state legislatures

there's some argument i heard about from some claiming that the senators were supposed to answer directly to the legislatures due to a checks & balances issue & in order to preserve federalism or something...

[zipplewrath]

8. That's it exactly

Some even want to make a claim that it "denies a state its representation". A bit far fetched at this point.

There is something to the fact that the loss of direct access to the Senate has disempowered state governments. However, if you just go back an look at the troubles it caused, one can't seriously consider reviving that system. Just look at Illinois for an example of what can and did go on.

Truth is, the senate is all screwed up anyway. The disproportion of representation is amazingly lopsided. Roughly 30% of the population controls 8% of the votes, and something silly like 12% controls 40% of the votes.

[emulatorloo]

5. They should try campaigning on that in 2010 - "Repubs want to take away your right to vote"

[lonestarnot]

7. Yeah, kill democracy. That works.

:D I mean that's what they want isn't it?

[Winterblues]

6. They don't want them to be elected in a Democratic manner

They want them to be selected by State Legislatures. Red States would there by be guaranteed Republican Senators. I personally think a Parliamentary system might be a better way to go.

[jwirr]

10. This argument is the old white fart issue. The demographics of the

nation are changing and they are afraid of being in the minority when others can out vote them. I as a white woman cannot wait for that to happen. Maybe then I will also be a real person!

[RKP5637]

14. I'm an old white, and I seriously can't wait for the old white farts to be a minority. I'm so

tried of the RW rhetoric. McCain typifies what I find so annoying. I'm disgusted with many in my generation. The country needs to move forward, they had their time and many managed to F it all up IMO, the RW old fart republicans.

[jwirr]

16. I know. There are a lot of us who are not afraid of change even change

in our own status.

[RoyGBiv]

13. Not necessarily ...

I do *not* support the idea of repealing the 17th Amendment.

However, there are states with Democratic legislatures or that swing back and forth at least that never or almost never elect Democratic Senators. So-called Red States often have very complex intra-state politics.

[MicaelS]

9. They don't believe in direct Democracy,

They believe seriously in the notion of the US being a Republic because they don't trust "the People" aka "the Mob". Their belief is the the House is the "People's" chamber, and it is the Junior chamber. That's why Representatives are only elected for a 2 year term as opposed to the 6 year term of the Senate. Any demagogue can get elected for 2 years by whipping up the Mob. The Senate is the senior chamber and is to be for older members, more deliberative, less for change and more for the status quo. It is to keep a brake on the possible excesses of the House. In other words much more Conservative. By preventing the Mob from electing Senators, the Senators elected by the State governments would keep a tight leash on the Federal government and assure State's rights.

[treestar]

12. I wonder if they are the same Republicans who complain about the "elite."

Sure sounds like the elite to me.

[RKP5637]

15. +1, n/t

[Bitwit1234]

11. That way the republicans think they can get to "keep" the senate

forever. There most times are more republican run state houses and they then can appoint whomever they want as senator. The people will never get to elect a legal senator.

[rufus dog]

17. think about it using their twisted mindset

The Senate already over represents small states. So Wyoming gets two Senators (R), while my County that is eight times larger gets to share two with the whole State. So they want to move it to the "elites" to pick the Senators, thus Wyo still gets two Rs, and my State, CA would get one R and one D, because it just wouldn't be fair to have CA only represented by D's.

The end game would be Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, the Deep South, with two R's while the rest of the Country gets to split. Thus guaranteeing the Republicans a majority in the Senate.