Senate
17th Amendment Myth Busted: There was no Recall Power
A lot of people believe that before the 17th amendment, state legislatures had the power to recall and replace senators in congress. But that’s nothing more than a myth. Records from the ratification debates show that this power never existed under the Constitution....
17th Amendment: Did it Destroy the Structure of the Constitution?
When the framers designed the Senate, they envisioned it as a safeguard for the states, with a key component being state legislatures choosing two senators instead of the people at large. But in 1913, the 17th Amendment removed this critical part of the system. In...
The Imperial Senate: Anti-Federalist Warnings
A permanent or baneful aristocracy – despite federalist assurances to the contrary – with senators mostly serving for life – that’s what many anti-federalists warned we’d get with the structure of the federal Senate. Path to Liberty:...
Insupportable Burdens: Antifederalist Cato No. 6
In his 6th paper, Cato predicted direct taxation on individuals in spite of Federalist assurances the government would be able to survive on trade and import duties. He also described the Senate as an aristocracy, and warned that the treaty power would result in...