The Tea Party wants to repeal the 17th amendment
Now, honestly, there’s a few of us that wouldn’t miss the 16th amendment. The 18th is dead. The seventh article of the constitution itself, ratification, is sort of a vestigial article as ratification happened over 200 years ago.
However, the tea party is starting to talk about repealing the 17th, the popular election of senators. The amendment came about because it became apparent that a man with enough money (William A. Clark, Nelson Aldrich), could buy a legislature and buy himself a senate seat. Those aren’t for sale. Ask Governor Blagojevich.
I find it ironic that the same group of people who think that the government should bow to the people want to take power from the people and give it back to the government.
The Tea Party in Utah is keen on the idea, because it looks like Orrin Hatch is going to be elected again. Their man failed to take him down. The people of Utah rejected the idea. It’s their right, isn’t it? I mean, that senate seat belongs, in actuality, to the people of Utah, and if they want to make sure that Orrin Hatch dies in that seat, well, then they can.
Sorry, but I’m keen on the idea that power comes from the people, and those who hold it are answerable to the people, not to a group of other powerful people.
