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I stand corrected. He was a populist too. As were Carter and Bill Clinton to some extent.Well sure if you ignore the existence of FDR.
I stand corrected. He was a populist too. As were Carter and Bill Clinton to some extent.Well sure if you ignore the existence of FDR.
Populism in the US was not isolated to a ~30 year span in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. It's been with us since the founding. In any case the fact remains that the populists of the early 20th century first championed the idea of direct election of senators (in fact it was the self-named Populist Party that made it part of their platform!) Direct election is at its heart a very populist thing (in the sense that it increases the power of ordinary people over that of a privileged and self-interested elite.
Fast forward a century later and the most populist president in memory is revered by the same folks who denigrate the 17th as a disenfranchisement of the states (which it was). God I love politics!
If your first thought is how repeal of the 17th Amendment is how it would change the demographics of the Senate, then you are a partisan hack only interested in your own agenda, not the country's well-being.
The 17th Amendment upset the balance of power. The people already had (have) representation, the House of Representatives. Having Senators chosen by the state according to their own criteria gave the states roughly equal power within DC. That's not a small thing. As just one example, now when Congress wants to force an unfunded mandate on the states, there's no one to speak in the states defense. That's irresponsible.
The text of the this particular amendment.
The direct election senators.... why is this so controversial now?
The people who championed the 17th self-described as populists. And I'm hardly the first person to think Trump ran on a populist message.You know except for those other populist Presidents (who have very little in actual common with each other or Trump) that you mentioned. Somehow I find it hard to trust your personal definition of who is a "populist".
I don't know how anyone can consider Trump, who lowers taxes on the wealthy far more than anyone else (in terms of dollars and percent), is revolking policies that protect workers and the middle class, and backs all the policies desired by the corporations, is a populist.You know except for those other populist Presidents (who have very little in actual common with each other or Trump) that you mentioned. Somehow I find it hard to trust your personal definition of who is a "populist".
I don't know how anyone can consider Trump, who lowers taxes on the wealthy far more than anyone else (in terms of dollars and percent), is revolking policies that protect workers and the middle class, and backs all the policies desired by the corporations, is a populist.
We are still waiting for your list of many, thanks.
The people who championed the 17th self-described as populists. ...
Calls for a Constitutional Amendment for direct election of Senators began as early as the 1820's.
Get over it? That is why we are no longer a free country, it is not the fault of the people who took our freedoms, it is the fault of people who were not willing to stand up for them. People get the government they deserve.
Rather than fall into your idiot trap, perhaps you would like to list all the things you can do here in the US legally... Legally would be things you can do without government permit or license as the need to have a permit or license indicates that the activity you are doing is illegal without government approval.
So tell me all the things you are "free to do". Some of the things you are not free to do is work and support yourself ( you must have SS card) travel, marry, open bank accounts, build a house, own a dog, have a business, own a gun, go to school, fish, hunt, own property, and about 100 more things that require government approval in the form of permit, license, or government tracking in some form. Yes keep telling yourself you are free if it helps you to tolerate your wage slave existence...
Rather than fall into your idiot trap, perhaps you would like to list all the things you can do here in the US legally... Legally would be things you can do without government permit or license as the need to have a permit or license indicates that the activity you are doing is illegal without government approval.
So tell me all the things you are "free to do". Some of the things you are not free to do is work and support yourself ( you must have SS card) travel, marry, open bank accounts, build a house, own a dog, have a business, own a gun, go to school, fish, hunt, own property, and about 100 more things that require government approval in the form of permit, license, or government tracking in some form. Yes keep telling yourself you are free if it helps you to tolerate your wage slave existence...
We are still waiting for your list of many, thanks.
I have traveled worldwide, and I can tell you that there are many places where the people have more freedom in their day to day lives than the people in the US.
What countries would those be?
We are still waiting for your list of many, thanks.
Please name them and the criteria used to determine that like has been asked in this thread.
Quit being lazy and read the damn link. You want me to type your posts for you, too?
The text of the this particular amendment.
The direct election senators.... why is this so controversial now?
The people who vote in those Senators are the state. That is what I don't get about the whole "states' rights" thing. People have rights, not states. If something is against "the states", then it is against the people (in some way) of that/those states, if it is a legitimate issue. What we have seen lately is the "states" being upset because the federal government takes the position of supporting individual rights over states' rights. Imagine that, rights for people rather than states who want to oppress them.
It took you over a month to post that.So you can't? ok
The top 10 jurisdictions in order were Switzerland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Ireland, Australia, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and, tied at 9th place, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Selected countries rank as follows: Canada (11), Sweden (13), Germany (16), the United States (17), Japan (27), South Korea (29), France (33), Italy (35), Chile (37), South Africa (68), Mexico (73), Indonesia (78), Turkey (84), Kenya (89), Malaysia (97), India (102), United Arab Emirates (116), Russia (126), China (130), Nigeria (133), Pakistan (141), Zimbabwe (146), Saudi Arabia (149), Iran (154), Egypt (155), Venezuela (158), and Syria (159).