The seventeenth amendment to the us constitution calls for the direct election of all us senators. this means that the people of each state get to vote to decide who will be their two us senators. before this, the legislatures of each state chose the two us senators from that state with no direct involvement of the average voter. why would this amendment be considered a reform? how would it benefit the people? even today some people claim that the seventeenth amendment was a bad idea. what arguments could be made for reverting selection of us senators back to the state legislatures?

The United States did not directly vote for senators during the first 125 years of the federal government. The Constitution, which was adopted in 1788, declared senators elected by state legislatures. The first proposal to amend the constitution and elect senators by popular vote was presented in the House of Representatives in 1826, but the idea did not receive enough support until the 19th century, when several problems related to elections in the Senate became evident. . . Several state laws were paralyzed by the elections of the senators, which made Senate seats remain vacant for months and even years. In other cases, the political machines gained control over state laws and the senators elected with their support were seen as puppets. In addition, the Senate was perceived as the "millionaire's club". That is public service. The rise of the Popular Party, called the Populist Party, motivated the creation of a Senate more responsible to the public.

The Seventeenth The Constitution of the United States (XVII) the direct election of the United States Senate by popular vote. The amendment replaces Article I, Section 3, Clauses 1 and 2 of the constitution, under which the Senate was elected by the State Legislatures. It also alters the method of filling vacancies in the Senate, to be consistent with the method of choice. It was adopted in April 1913.

swe hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. — that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. "

- declaration of independence

  according to this passage from the declaration of independence, who gives government the power to exist?

a) the king

b) the people

c) their creator

d) their governmenthook

the answer is richard nixion