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And we wonder why the USA is a mess
Jul. 20th, 2010 10:13 am(headdesk headdesk headdesk)
Someone tell me when my country was dropped in the Twilight Zone. Please. Because this is just too dumb even for me to swallow.
This is the article that just made me choke. You probably don't want to read it if you value your braincells, so I'll give a quick summary.
Former State Senator Rod Beck is a bitter super conservative who's failed three times to get through his party's (Republican) primary elections. He blames this on his rivals, who "don't support party ideals".
At a state convention last month, Rod Beck staged a revolt with the Tea Party and old school conservatives (I suspect that "old school" here means "Civil War Era"). With their powers combined, Beck managed to drag the Idaho Republican party into a big spiral that is best described as a Magic Eye Picture (it only makes sense if you look at it out of focus and squint). From this, according to the article, arose a platform based on, "a spasm of anti-fed outrage — and anger at Republicans who Beck thinks have strayed from the fold". Included in this platform are the following goals:
Fortunately, they (barely) stopped short of supporting an unregulated State Militia. Oh, and did I forget to mention that it's all in the name of "States' Rights" and "State Supremacy"? Also given a nod is a return to hard labor in exchange for meals for inmates (and I thought I wanted to kick Joe Arpaio in the nads — just let me in kicking range of Beck). Of course, there's the usual social conservative splattering of anti-abortion, pro-gun, pro-war, etc etc bullshit. One remarkably hammer-headed ass would like to get rid of the federal income tax (you know, that thing that pays for our government).
For my non-USA people, the 17th Amendment is the one that covers the election of the Senate. It goes thusly:
Remember kiddies: voting directly on the people who represent you is bad. Real Americans vote on the people who vote on the people who represent you. That's how Great-Great-Grandpa did it! It's not like the 17th Amendment was passed in part to prevent corporate interests from putting Senators in their pockets like certain people are accused of now or any...
Oh.
Someone tell me when my country was dropped in the Twilight Zone. Please. Because this is just too dumb even for me to swallow.
This is the article that just made me choke. You probably don't want to read it if you value your braincells, so I'll give a quick summary.
Former State Senator Rod Beck is a bitter super conservative who's failed three times to get through his party's (Republican) primary elections. He blames this on his rivals, who "don't support party ideals".
At a state convention last month, Rod Beck staged a revolt with the Tea Party and old school conservatives (I suspect that "old school" here means "Civil War Era"). With their powers combined, Beck managed to drag the Idaho Republican party into a big spiral that is best described as a Magic Eye Picture (it only makes sense if you look at it out of focus and squint). From this, according to the article, arose a platform based on, "a spasm of anti-fed outrage — and anger at Republicans who Beck thinks have strayed from the fold". Included in this platform are the following goals:
- The seizing of federal lands located in Idaho.
- The repeal of the 17th Amendment.
- A return to the gold/silver standard.
Fortunately, they (barely) stopped short of supporting an unregulated State Militia. Oh, and did I forget to mention that it's all in the name of "States' Rights" and "State Supremacy"? Also given a nod is a return to hard labor in exchange for meals for inmates (and I thought I wanted to kick Joe Arpaio in the nads — just let me in kicking range of Beck). Of course, there's the usual social conservative splattering of anti-abortion, pro-gun, pro-war, etc etc bullshit. One remarkably hammer-headed ass would like to get rid of the federal income tax (you know, that thing that pays for our government).
For my non-USA people, the 17th Amendment is the one that covers the election of the Senate. It goes thusly:
The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures. It's so much easier to bribe a small group.So, TL;DR, they want to end popular elections of Senators. WTF. How fucking out of touch do you have to be to think that re-writing the US democracy is a good thing? Of course, it makes sense if you're Rod Beck, who kept losing in the (popular election) primaries for some unknown reason. No word on what they want to replace it — probably back to being elected by the state legislators.
When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.
Remember kiddies: voting directly on the people who represent you is bad. Real Americans vote on the people who vote on the people who represent you. That's how Great-Great-Grandpa did it! It's not like the 17th Amendment was passed in part to prevent corporate interests from putting Senators in their pockets like certain people are accused of now or any...
Oh.
