With the failure of our senate to address the failing ACA multiple times, and now as they prepare to fail on tax reform, its time the senate itself is reformed to better represent the interest of the American people. The core of the problem is entrenched senators who are shielded by a 6-year term in office that allows them to build huge campaign chests that make challenging an incumbent, with the added advantage of name recognition, a near impossibility.
The modern American senator becomes dedicated to protecting the status quo that he or she has committed 6 years of his or her life to and that keeps the re-election donations coming and guarantees airtime and exposure in the friendly press. All take priority over the current needs of their constituents from their far away state. Today’s U.S. senator only leaves office when he is good and ready to go, not when the people of his state decide they’ve had enough of their contribution to gridlock and inaction.
Examples of elderly abuse of the rest of the nation, John McCain, Tad Cochran, Diane Finstein.
Such intransigence leads to bad law, such as ongoing bi-partisan effort in the senate right to keep Obamacare subsidies going another two more years, instead of repealing or fixing fatal the flaws in the current legislation.
Either get rid of the 17th Amendment (that directly elects senators), like we did the 18th Amendment or add a 28th Amendment to cut the term of a senator to 2 years (like the House) or limit senators to 2 terms (like the President).
The way we have it now is not responsive to the American people and encourages abuse and self aggrandizements among those fortunate enough to become a U.S. Senator.
The pile of gov’t excrement U.S. citizens face every day — and today more than usual — makes us want to put forks in our eyes. Somewhere, somehow, we must rise up as one against all this.
I spent some time in prayer today. Please join me.
“… makes us want to put forks in our eyes …”
Uhh … no … actually it makes me want to put forks in THEIR eyes.
izlamo delenda est …
Repeal the 17th. Virginia has two dummycrat senators but the General Assembly is majority Republican.
Kaine and Warner would be out of there faster than shit through a goose.
Problem is, Senate votes on amendments and those guys won’t sign their own death decree.
Repeal the 18th Amendment but add a recall provision by a 2/3rds majority of the State Legislature.
Also, limit the population of each Congressional District to 100,000 citizens (emphasis on “citizen”) and limit terms to 4 (8 years).
It wouldn’t hurt to include a mandate that a budget be passed each year, or the government shuts down. NO CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS!
Also, if a law is ruled unconstitutional by the courts, Congress must act within a set period of time (6 months or so) to bring it into compliance, or the entire law dies. In concert with that, judges must be held to a higher standard. If they exhibit a pattern of obstructionism, ruling by fiat, and not grounded on the Constitution, they should be removed. NO MORE LEGISLATING FROM THE BENCH!
Elections should matter.
17th Amendment. Sorry.
Ha ha ha!
Dream on!
The Wilsonian Socialists told the lies, put the rope around our necks, and we jumped off the stool. When you’re hanging by the neck, shitting down both legs, and toes dancing above the floor, it’s a tad late – doncha think?
Ya really think Congress is gonna (voluntarily) get off the Gravy Train?
And the elected maggots in every State and City?
Huh?
You ever heard of a real con-man giving the money back and saying “Oops! Sorry!?”
izlamo delenda est …
all in on repeal of the 17th. 19th while we are at it.
we already have term limits, it’s called election day.
but why deal with a defunct document our politicians no longer follow.
it has never been re-ratified after the 1861 when it became null and void.
the constitution was a great document, too bad we don’t use it anymore.
@bill.
Add in the 26th, voting age of 18.
In a way the 17th Amendment effectively created two States. You’ve got States whose borders are political parties and those national parties (Party States?) are far removed from the people.
I’ve long supported repealing the 17th amendment. But I’m going to say “no” to term limits. California has them. You get an endless stream of newbies in the state legislature. They get two terms to make their mark, and secure their next job. And that’s what they do… Consequences be dammed. That’s why all manner of total nonsense gets passed. They have no investment what so ever in any outcome further than 4 years out. They make deals with each other, pass bills, some move up, and those that term out work for the ones that didn’t. With term limits, as soon as they’re elected, they stop listening to the voters. Term limits take power away from voters.
Kali; what’s more important than that is that it’s a one party state and that party happens to be the communist party. And they’re all in on it. Politicians, judges, bureaucrats and left wing big biz.
Convention of States
Non Moose,
Those two things are actually coincident. California became a one party state as term limits took hold after 1996. That turned the tables in favor of the Socialists. It’s been all downhill since then…
The real rot started with Prop 13 back in the 70’s. That was enacted to fight back against all the pie on the sky spending happening because of Moonbeam and the newly minted 26th Amendment “gimme” voters. The WWII generation were getting priced out of their houses on property tax increases. So they limited them. But… That just set the cities and counties against housing. Their work-around was to just massively boost the prices of housing.
There’s is no substitute for holding politicians feet to the fire on fiscal discipline. Term limits do the opposite…
Need “Repeal 17A” t-shirt.
The Founding Fathers left us a pretty good system. Then we screwed it up.
Or not, depending on who you talk to.
The biggest problem (as I see it) is that they based the system on the premise that a small group of wealthy and educated (but principled) individuals would run the government for the benefit of their less fortunate and less educated constituents.
I don’t think they envisioned how much things would change.
But who ever does?
2 TERMS, and you’re done. Go be a lobbyist like everyone else!
Term limits may serve a purpose, but it does not make reps more responsive to voters. Behold BOs statement to Medvedev wrt flexibility, that he asked to be passed on to Putin.
I’ve long believed the 17th amendment lets the big city folk control who is elected federal senator, the small town, & rural folks have their power limited for who is elected.
Before the 17th amendment if the in state delegates from rural areas didn’t elect a senator the rural folk liked, the rural folks could vote their state delegate out of office, and correct the problem next election with a new guy who listened to them. Now they’re stuck.
For example, I’d bet rural NY residences prefers a different senator than NYC, Albany, Buffalo votes into office.
Repeal the 17th amendment = retire Chuck Shumer. And others like him from other states.
The states are each allowed only 2 senators, equal representation in the senate from each state independent of population of the state. Prior to the 17th amendment equal representation was provided to small town & rural citizens, small population vs the population of the big cities. The 17th amendment killed that.