The Utah Senate asked Congress to repeal the 17th Amendment, which was ratified under the Progressive’s of 1913. Utah has boldly challenged a system that was never the intent of the Founding Fathers and suggests that the 17th Amendment has resulted in Senators being bound to special interest groups, that donate enormous sums of money for the Senator’s re-election, and not representing the needs of the people of Utah.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Al Jackson of Utah, believes that Senators need to “come home every weekend and take direction from their state legislative (sic) body and from the House and the Governor on how they should vote in the upcoming week.”
Passing with 20-6 SJR2 was sent to the House. It demands that Congress repeal the 17th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Read a history of the 17th Amendment and why Utah has made such a bold call to action on the following page.
So by removing the people a step back in the process the people lose all representation? Do the people not elect their state legislature in every state?
GOOD and take the 16th with u too!!
Thanks Tim
This guy ain’t from Utah!!!
Before the 17th amendment this was a check on the federal government. We didn’t have the deficits that we have today, the federal government wasn’t all powerful, and the states had a say in the spending, there wasn’t a federal government saying that a state had to do things a certain way “transgender bathrooms in schools” or we cut your funding. No, the 17th amendment only removed a check and balance on the federal government…. It is the main reason we have a runaway federal government
Why was the system of electing Senators changed in the first place?
The change was a detriment of the states. In the name of “democracy” we screwed with the fundmental structure of the constitution by adopting the 17th amendment .
There where cloudy reason behind the 17th amendment in the first place. It was all part of a progressive movement. Repeal of the amendment would restore federalism. would have a dramatic effect on campaign spending, give more access to candidates with less money. The idea to repeal is a good one, but is probably unlikely. a change of heart in the american populace and a better understanding of the beneficial role played by limitations on direct democracy is difficult to imagine a movement to repeal the 17th amendment.
About time we repeal that mess. The Senate is where the STATES themselves SHOULD (and were before the progressive error) be represented in the Federal Government. You want to make sure the State is represented well? Pay close attention to your LOCAL elections!
Craig did you not here about the panama scandal. Politicians are not bought with publicly known funds
Cant do that read the rest of it Utah.
Repealing the 17th Amendment would actually put more power into the hands of the people. Instead of a bunch of misinformed goofballs voting for the best hair after a months long psychological assault known as a campaign they would be appointed by the state legislatures. Those people with a real interest would be able to have influence by traveling to their state capitals and making their views known to their state representatives and senators.