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Gohmert Wants To End Popular Election Of Senators

Check out this post: http://capitolannex.com/2010/03/23/gohmert-wants-to-end-popular-election-of-senators/) We all knew that right-wing Republicans want to send America back to the dark ages where women can’t show their ankles in public and executions on the public square are the norm, but Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-Tyler) is taking things a bit too far. He’s calling for an end to the popular election of U.S. Senators. Yes, you heard that right. He wants states to hold constitutional conventions to amend the U.S. Constitution so that senators are once again selected to serve by appointment. From his bizarre press release:

U.S. Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-TX) calls upon at least the 39 states that are disputing the Federal government’s latest power grab to review Article V of the U.S. Constitution and consider proposing an amendment to stop the runaway Congress and White House. Rep. Gohmert stated, “The usurpation of the rights of the states and of the people perpetrated by the U.S. House last night is blatant, arrogant, and cries out for action. A potentially bankrupting ‘mother of all unfunded mandates’ needs to be stopped. The courts may or may not do it, but the states are not helpless. Article V of our U.S. Constitution anticipates a time when states perceive a looming crisis and provides an avenue for amending the Constitution. It makes clear that if two-thirds of the states are fed up with the federal government’s abusive action, then they simply apply for a convention, and the Congress SHALL call such a convention for proposing an amendment.” Ever since the safeguard of State legislatures electing U.S. Senators was removed by the 17th Amendment in 1913, there has been no check or balance on the Federal power grab for the last 97 years. Article V requires a minimum of 34 states to request a Convention which in this case, would be an Amendment Convention for only ONE amendment. “That one amendment would put a check and balance back on Federal usurpation of rights reserved to the States and people under the 9th and 10th Amendments. When drafted, the amendment would require ratification by only 38 states. We already have 39 states and that number will, no doubt, grow as people become aware of the foundational damage being done to the country,” said Gohmert.

First off, I don’t know where his number of 39 states challenging healthcare reform came from. Second, evidently Congressman Gohmert doesn’t remember that one of the main reasons for direct election of senator was because of corruption. Bribery and favor-trading was a common practice before the adoption of the 17th Amendment. In fact, a number of bribery cases relating to senatorial appointments actually reached the Senate. This wins the award for “most stupid gambit to stop healthcare reform ever.”