Repeal the 17th Amendment

Return power to the States and reform the Senate by repealing the 17th Amendment. Non-partisan.

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

Ambition of today’s career pol: K Street after 20 + years Congress. What the founders intended: back to the Family Farm after 2 years in Congress. #Swamp

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

Our wise founders would have hated the idea that a party could “control” the Senate with 51 votes. They devised the Senate for independence, but we took that away with the 17th Amendment. Now we have career pols (e.g., Leahy: 45 years; Grassley 39 years).

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

For our Senators we deserve independent minded leading citizens, appointed by State Legislatures for a single term, beholden to neither party nor donors, only to their own consciences.

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

(3/3) Yet we messed with the system by the 17th Amendment. Direct election of US Senators broke this link between the Federal and State systems, and has produced entrenched career politicians, not “select appointments.” @ConstitutionCtr

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

(2/3) “It is recommended by the double advantage of favoring a select appointment, and of giving to the State governments such an agency in the formation of the federal government as must secure the authority of the former, and may form a convenient link between the two systems.”

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

(1/3) The Americans who drafted our Constitution were smart, smarter than us. Madison wrote in Federalist 62 why State Legislatures should appoint Senators:

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

Should States support repeal of the 17th Amendment? Of course. State legislatures will once again have a voice again in national legislation, and reclaim power they gave away a century ago. @NCSLorg

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

Repeal the 17th Amendment to allow State Legislatures to appoint their US Senators once again. And restore the balance sought by the framers of the Constitution. @NCSLorg

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

The Federal Government has taken too much power from the States. Both parties to blame. #DNC #RNC

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) have been in the US Senate 45 and 39 years respectively, and counting. They may fine fellows (or not) but no one should be in the Senate that long. Founders would be aghast.

[Repeal the 17th Amendment @8617th]

The 17th Amendment (1913) changed the US Constitution to allow direct election of Senators. Sounds good but has hurt democracy. Senate now a lifetime appointment for some. Repeal the 17th, bring in a one term limit and reform the Senate.