The Seventeenth Amendment: Death blow to State's Rights

The Seventeenth Amendment allows the Democrats in the Senate To Jam The Health Care Bill Down The Throats of The States

BILOXI, Miss. - The nation’s governors, Democrats as well as Republicans, voiced deep concern yesterday about the shape of the healthcare bill emerging from Congress, fearing that the federal government is about to hand them expensive new Medicaid obligations without providing the money to pay for them. The Boston.Com.

The Seventeenth Amendment (Amendment XVII) to the United States Constitution was passed by the Senate on June 12, 1911, the House of Representatives on May 13, 1912, and ratified by the states on April 8, 1913. The amendment supersedes Article I, § 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution,... Wikipedia.

The Seventeenth Amendment ratification was a deadly blow to States’ Rights, and Federalism. Article 1 of the Constitution originally stated that, “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, chosen by the legislature thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote.” In their wisdom, the founders of the Constitution in order to preserve the sovereignty of the several states, gave each state senator, selected by the legislatures of said states, one vote. Senators voting against the interests of their states could be recalled and replaced.

The Seventeenth Amendment changed that, giving the vote to the people, who were already represented by the House of Representatives. The amendment was passed by the senate June 12, 1911, and by the House of Representatives May 13, 1912. It was ratified by the states on April 8, 1913. The amendment supersedes Article I, & 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the Constitution, transferring Senator selection from each state's legislature to popular election by the people of each state. This was a subterfuge sneaked into the constitution by progressives who were stymied by the senators previously voting for the interests of their respective states.

Now, to bring this all to the present in the Senate. If the original provision for selecting senators was still in effect, the states could have immediate input and influence in the health care bill, or could kill it completely. They could recall and replace senators who are pushing laws, which are not supported by the states.

In the primaries and general election in November 2010, we must select senators and members of the House of Representives who will repeal the Seventeenth Amendment, and vote for term limits. These two provisions alone will eliminate the senatorial dynasties which have done nothing but to serve the special interests, which contribute to those senators favoring them in earmarks and passing pork barrel legislation.