Edit: 17. Q. 17 No one noticed that on the conversation thus far below.
Original:
Direct election of US Senators. This amendment, on its Fucking face most changed how our country was established. If this didn’t happen, Republicans would hold a MASSIVE majority in the US senate. MASSIVE. There is no local pressure on our county/district officials. None. Everyone looks to Washington. REPEAL THIS. NOW.
Yes. The Senators were supposed to look out for the interests of the state and the representatives advocate for individuals. But states were more competitive in the beginning, and more rural. Considering the quality of state legislators we've seen lately, I don't see them doing a better job choosing than the at-large population, and since big cities are overrepresented in state legislatures now, giving the whole state a voice somewhat makes up for the big blue city effect.
VERY good points.
Agree for the quality of those elected officials now, but that the other half of my point. We SHOULD BE paying more attention to who we put on those local roles. We should care who they are, and the carrot we need back across the country is those people get to put our US Senators in place and hold them accountable to our state. Right now, the ignorant, lazy and corrupt have destroyed our local governments due to our lack of focus on them.
I'd never argue that. Even at the lowest level I see the same people, year after year, just like Congress. No one stirs the pot.
Term limits is a start.
Even better, a way to recall Senators. Representatives can be recalled or removed by the House Ethics Committee (and those processes could be easier) but a Senator can only be expelled by 2/3 of the Senate.