ELECTION OF SENATORS

ON ELECTION OF SENATORS BY STATE LEGISLATORS

© Chippy's Dad

I heard a political negative attack ad the other day. A particular candidate was being accused of supporting a constitutional amendment to repeal the 17th amendment, otherwise known as the direct election of senators. Wow, I have long supported returning to the original constitutional provision that senators would be elected by the legislatures of the several states. I never thought that this idea would make it into serious public discussion.

The direct election of senators in which senators are elected by the people is supposed to be more democratic and give the people more power over the government. In fact, it does the exact opposite.

The various segments of the government are each jealous of their own power. In particular, the state legislatures are jealous of their power. The concept of federalism is intended to account for this jealousy. As long as the United States Senate is made up of people who are beholden to the states, the central government will not be able to easily usurp power from the states. That is to say that more power would reside at the state level.

With the direct election of senators, the state governments no longer held any control over the central government. The main purpose of having a bi-cameral congress disappeared.

The practical effect was a massive increase in the power of the central government in Washington at the expense of the state governments and ordinary people. That means that anyone wishing to influence the government must go to Washington instead of the state capital. Now which is easier for an ordinary person from, say, Meeker, Colorado wishing to petition the government: go to Denver, or go to Washington?

As opposed to the propaganda of self-styled elites, the direct election of senators is actually intended to, and does, increase the power of the moneyed special interests. Only those with great financial resources can have a significant effect on government policies. When the congressional senators were elected by the states, much more policy was developed at the state level; and ordinary citizens on Main Street, as opposed to Wall Street, had more influence. Once direct election of senators was instituted in 1913, power was transferred from Main Street to Wall Street. That is when America started down the long road towards the current financial crisis. How many unfunded mandates would there be if the senators were elected by the state governments?

Clearly those who would oppose the return to the original senatorial elections by state legislatures are those who support increased power for powerful Wall Street special interests and decreased power for ordinary people on Main Street. Let us return power to Main Street by repealing the 17th amendment.

Incidentally, added benefits to senatorial election by state legislatures would be fewer political advertisements and pesky automated dinnertime political phone calls. It would also be helpful if state senators were elected by county governments. Act locally.