1 year, 11 months ago
Why do some want the 17th amendment repealed?
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The constitution originally called for senators to be elected by state legislatures. The 17th Amendment specified that they be elected by popular vote. Some people now oppose the amendment because they feel it takes too much power away from states. In effect, a state that has elected a Republican legislature might get a Democratic Senator as a result of the popular vote.
Some members of the Tea Party have called for repealing the 17th amendment on these grounds.
The idea may have lost some momentum after the election of Republican Scott Brown, who took Ted Kennedy's old seat in Massachusetts. The governor of Massachusetts is a Democrat and both houses are heavily Democratic, so had the appointment of a replacement Senator been up to the state legislature, Brown would not be in Congress. This was a particularly critical election, since it eliminated the Democrat's 60-vote "super majority" in the Senate.
Some members of the Tea Party have called for repealing the 17th amendment on these grounds.
The idea may have lost some momentum after the election of Republican Scott Brown, who took Ted Kennedy's old seat in Massachusetts. The governor of Massachusetts is a Democrat and both houses are heavily Democratic, so had the appointment of a replacement Senator been up to the state legislature, Brown would not be in Congress. This was a particularly critical election, since it eliminated the Democrat's 60-vote "super majority" in the Senate.
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