I’ve long thought that the 17th Amendment to the US Constitution was a mistake.

Amendment 17 – Senators Elected by Popular Vote. Ratified 4/8/1913. History

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.

The establishment ‘Pub Senators are preparing to roll-over and give away our best weapon to curb the dem’s spending—blocking the federal debt limit increase.

Cornyn Says Republicans May Accept ‘Mini’ Deal on Raising U.S. Debt Limit

By Angela Greiling Keane – Jul 4, 2011 8:01 AM CT

Republicans might accept a “mini” deal with the Obama administration on raising the debt limit, Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a Republican leader, said yesterday on “Fox News Sunday.”

The idea may delay politically difficult decisions if it’s structured to postpone action on a larger package of spending cuts or revenue increases until after the 2012 election cycle, an analyst said.

What the establishment ‘pubs hope is that they can make all the dem counter-attacks wait until after the election.  They think that if they’ll cave on blocking the debt limit increase, they’ll remove an arrow from the dem’s quiver.

Stupid!

The time to show resolve, the time to show some backbone is now.  Not, in 2012 when it’s too late.  

The dems are helpless if they can’t spend to keep their protected voting blocks satiated on taxpayer money. Chuck-U Schumer (D-NY) is already planning options in case the ‘pubs don’t cave.  Ignore congress and spend anyway.  They claim the 14th Amendment makes any such spending limit unconstitutional.

Chuck Schumer: 14th Amendment Option ‘Certainly Worth Exploring’

WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Friday that invoking the Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which states that federal debts “shall not be questioned,” to continue paying government obligations is a strategy worth considering should a debt-ceiling deal remain elusive. 

In late May, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner read directly from the 14th Amendment to a crowd of reporters, emphasizing the clause “shall not be questioned.” And rank-and-file Senate Democrats are increasingly looking to the 14th Amendment as a way out of the debt-ceiling impasse, as HuffPost reported on Tuesday.

When asked about the Constitution’s 14th Amendment during a conference call with reporters, Schumer, who leads Senate Democrats’ communications effort, said, “It’s certainly worth exploring.”

The spinelessness of the ‘pubs and the statist agenda of the dems scream for a change.  The real purpose of the 17th Amendment was to weaken the power of the states.  the cry was for more “democracy.”  That was a diversion of the real purpose behind this amendment.  The United States is NOT a democracy.  It is a republic and for very good reasons.  

Jefferson, I believe, said that the republic form of government was chosen to prevent the tyranny of the majority. Madison and de Tocqueville echoed those thoughts.

With examples of senatorial integrity like Schumer (D-NY) and Cornyn (R-TX), we have to perfect examples why the 17th Amendment was a mistake.  Let’s repeal and put the power back into the hands of the states—as it was originally.  The sole reason that each state had two Senators was to balance the power of the states against one another and to provide equal representation of the states in Congress.

Prior to the 17th Amendment, Senators were appointed—not elected, by the state legislators.  What the states could appoint.  A vote of the state legislature was all that was needed.  I admit in some states that could be difficult.  On the other hand, we have the example of Wisconsin earlier this year.

State control of Senators would restrain any accesses by Senators that ran contrary to the best interests of the states. Given the nature of the state of Texas, its Governor and of the ‘pub majority in the statehouse, I strongly doubt Cornyn would have made such an outrageous state has he did on considering a “mini” debt limit increase.

Every day, it seems, we see another example how wise and how much foresight the Founders had when designing our Constitution.  And we see more and more attempts by those who hate our country and our Constitution working to destroy both. That is all the more reason to revert to our government’s original design.