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.
“…and not representing the needs of the people of Utah.”
Slight error, it’s should read “the needs of the STATE of Utah”, not “people”. That’s the job of the House of Representatives.
Tom, this very argument is exactly how the Democrats suckered Americans into supporting this Amendment in the first place.
Senators were originally elected by their respective state legislators, who themselves were elected by the people of the state. The Senators were meant to be ambassadors of the state, and to ensure the interests of it, not the people themselves. THAT is the job of the House of Representatives. THEY were supposed to represent the actual populations in their respective districts, not the Senators.
It is simply redundant to have both the Senate AND the House do the same thing, but this is exactly what the 17th Amendment did. As the Senators are now directly elected by the population of the state, it has left them open to the influences of lobbyists and special interest groups. They no longer represent the interests of the state so much, as they are subject to the whims of these groups. It effectively stripped power from the states, and handed it to the federal government. The Democrats, who typically support big government, KNEW this would happen. That’s why they pushed for it.
Hopefully, Tom, this will help you understand why many of us regard the 17th Amendment as the evilist Amendment ever passed (the 16th Amendment being number two).
Daryl L. Hosler II the 17th was presented in 1912 and made law in 1913…..50 years???
Politicians own the government.
Removing citizens from electing senators removes citizens from the system entirely.
All bills must pass the Senate.
Allowing them to be owned entirely behind a curtain does not sound like a positive thing.
Atleast now we know who is buying them off.
Repeal the 17th and I’m willing to bet a few paychecks that we see a shift towards all bills being radically pro business……to hell with anything else.
Repealing the 17th does nothing to restore power.
It removes you from the equation so businesses are free to run their puppets without having to worry about it.
A senators vote is a vote whether elected by citizens or placed by a legislature … What’s at stake is who that senator answers to….you? or walmart?
Pelosi goes home and first class all the way. Nothing too expensive if coming from other folks pockets.
Jeff Young The States have their own issues in dealing the Federal monstrosity. Weak states cannot protect their people’s collective interests. The Senate was designed by brilliant men who knew about the importance of those issues. If we directly elect Senators, we might as well have only one House.
I agree Lisa.