As the GOP primary campaign kicks into high gear, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has come under fire from outraged liberals over his call for the repeal of the 17th Amendment, which calls for the direct election of U.S. senators. James Madison and other Founders were wise to have the election of senators originate from the state legislatures when writing the Constitution. Not until the Progressive Era did a movement gain traction to allow for direct election of senators which put this nation on the path to bigger government where states’ rights (liberals, altogether now: Racism!) where state sovereignty is contracted. The 17th Amendment was finally adopted on April 8, 1913.
Liberal columnist Ruth Marcus, writing in The Washington Post, proclaimed, “Perry’s ideas range from wrongheaded to terrifying” because the Texas governor proposed repealing both the 16th and 17th Amendments (the first being the establishment of an federal income tax). It appears that Rick Perry is a liberal’s worst nightmare, which means he is right for a successful and prosperous America – and a freer America.
Perry’s philosophy on federalism is the motivating factor in his push for repeal. He believes – as do many conservatives – if the 17th Amendment is repealed, more power will be reserved to the individual states giving them more sovereignty and less power to Washington, DC. Additionally, it would remove the power of incumbency, which keeps senators in the upper chamber for decades where they completely lose touch with working Americans. The Founders had no intention in creating a career political class who remain in Washington for almost an entire generation. Of course, liberals will hold this position of repeal as “extremist” because these same liberals believe in one thing, and one thing only: power. And yes, a great many GOP senators would feel the same way, as their political career would end as well. Any proposed policy, which limits the power of Washington, is labeled “extremist” and the political class will do everything to destroy anyone who adopts a position to remove that power; hence, the full frontal attacks on the governor of Texas.
I just concluded the HBO series JOHN ADAMS with my six-year old son, Truman. In the docudrama on America’s second president, I found it breathtakingly amazing how far this nation has evolved from the intent our Founders had in the creation of this Republic where individualism, hard work, and a “can-do spirit” was rewarded, to our current monstrosity of a federal bureaucracy where success is punished with more and more punitive taxation. I explained to my son that our Founders – especially Jefferson – would be calling for the abolishment of our current government and instituting new government, as is the right of the people to do so, because alas, our current government has become destructive to our very liberties, and has overstepped the consent of the governed, i.e. ObamaCare. As Jefferson eloquently wrote, “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.” I told Truman that November 6, 2012 the American people should institute Jefferson’s vision once again.