November 18, 2009

The Seventeenth Amendment.

"Clause 1. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.

Clause 2. When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of each State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

Clause 3. This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution."


This amendment seems to be way longer than it needs to be. This amendment is basically laying down how the senators are to be chosen. It shifts the election of senators from state legislatures to the people of the states-- the people in the states vote on the senators. I don't really have much of an opinion on this amendment it's sort of a "house keeping" amendment to me-- something that needed to be said but not something that seems to cause much controversy or talk what so ever.




This is a very cut and dry interpretation of the seventeenth amendment from an attorney.




Here, Thomas DiLorenzo explains why the seventeenth amendment is necessary and important to us today.

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