Utah Senate votes to repeal 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (with video)

[sarisataka]

Utah Senate votes to repeal 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (with video)

The Utah Senate on Wednesday called on Congress to repeal the 17th Amendment — so that state senators could again select U.S. senators.

It voted 20-6 to pass SJR2, and sent it to the House. It calls for Congress to repeal the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was ratified in 1913 to allow people to directly elect U.S. senators.

Its sponsor, Sen. Al Jackson, R-Highland, says electing senators by the state Senate is needed because no branch of the federal government now represents the needs of state governments. A change would force senators to do that.

"Today, senators are more beholden to special interest groups than to their states" because those interests give them money for reelection, Jackson said.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/3576711-155/utah-senate-votes-to-repeal-17th

Overlooking the obvious political motivations, it does bring up an interesting question to debate:
Should U.S. Senators represent their state or the people of their state?

[Beowulf]

1. The Princeton Study showed

no federally elected official represents the people who elected them. They work for the powerful.

[rurallib]

4. and that there is the true bottom line folks

[yellowcanine]

2. State Governments are people now too????????

Its sponsor, Sen. Al Jackson, R-Highland, says electing senators by the state Senate is needed because no branch of the federal government now represents the needs of state governments. A change would force senators to do that.


Sen Jackson is an Orwellian anti democracy wankpuffin.

[LonePirate]

3. More Republican lies wrapped up in populist bullshit.

The UT legislature (and Republicans in general) want the 17th Amendment repealed because citizens of red (MO) and swing states (FL) keep electing Democrats to the Senate. Repealing the 17th allows these Republican legislatures to stack the Senate with Republicans. This interests of state government spiel is bullshit.