Repealing the 17th Amendment would go a long way towards fixing the country

It was done during the Progressive Era for the very purpose of putting power in the hands of the people. The problem is that all it did was essentially create 2 Houses instead of a true bicameral Congress that the Founders intended. It was the start of the cities overruling the rest of the country - exactly what Madison and Jefferson fought against.

You've drawn points A and B but I'm not seeing the line between them. Elaborate please.

The Senate elections have become national elections in many instances. If the state legislatures elect the senators they become more beholden to the state, not the national money that got them elected.

Think about what happens now during elections. Representatives and Senators campaign on the exact same issues - basically who hands out more stuff wins. The cities obviously get more House seats because of their population but they also have a massive influence on entire states. Think places like Illinois or Oregon or even NY. They always have 2 Dem senators even though most of the state is Red.

If we went back to appointment by the State Legislatures, Senators would be appointed based on representing the interests of the entire state and would not be as susceptible to pandering for votes.

The Founders were geniuses when they created our system to ensure that any laws that pass would have to have both popular and geographically widespread support. The further we get away from that, the worse things get. As the D’s have shown, as long as they carry the cities, they can tell the rest of the country to pound sand and still win.

Another thing this would help with is the party line voting that Congressional leadership demands. It’s such a huge thing for a guy like Manchin to go against his party because if the party pulls support, he likely loses his job.

If the Legislature appoints him and he votes the way the state wants him to, he has no problem, even if it goes against what the Senator from NY or CA wants.

Make the general election for potus based off each congressional district

I love the idea. This would moderate our politics sooooo much. Anyone hoping to win would have to appeal across the aisle and over the entire country.

Well, any inflamed extreme lefties or righties who insist on their way or the highway would be quickly marginalized as they’d never be able to get the widespread and/or popular support needed to actually get/keep insane policies into place.

All this tranny nonsense or talk of repealing the 2nd goes away right quick.

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If we went back to appointment by the State Legislatures, Senators would be appointed based on representing the interests of the entire state and would not be as susceptible to pandering for votes.

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100% false. They would just pander for votes of state legislators rather than voters.

Ugh.

I didn’t say it would solve ALL our problems. But it would help tremendously. Much of the polarization has to do with the Feds having too much power and influence. The States should be free to govern themselves however they want with limited influence from Washington. Then if California wants to hand out reparations or Oklahoma wants to mandate everyone carry a gun at all times, so be it. Those are no longer national issues.

Repealing the 17th is just one step towards reinstating the sovereignty of the States.