Constitution thoughts, part 4

Amendment 17 says that Senators are to be elected through popular vote. I think this was a bad idea. The Founders purposely setup the House to represent the people and the Senate to represent the States. When I was in high school my US History teacher convinced me that we should get rid of the Electoral College. I wrote up an outline of what I wanted the new amendment to say and sent it to my Senators. They wrote me back and said it would hurt small states. I have since changed my opinion on the issue and think it is very important for us to keep the Electoral College. Our country was not intended to be a democracy, but a republic instead.

Amendment 19 gave the right to vote to women. I have heard from a few people who think this was a bad idea and that it has hurt our current political structure. However, I disagree. I think if there is something you don’t like about the political process, you could find similar things before this amendment was ratified. Amendment 18 banned the sale and transport of alcohol and it was overturned nearly 15 years later with Amendment 21. It obviously did not stop people from drinking alcohol and actually made it more dangerous. Currently several drugs are banned without having an amendment for them.

Amendment 22 restricted the President to serving only two terms. I think this was a good idea. It is important to get new people and new ideas into the Presidency so they know their power is limited and the country can try a new direction. Amendment 23 gave Washington DC Electors to vote in the presidential elections. I think this was a bad idea and it should have been left only to the states.

The Constitution was signed on Monday, September 17, 1787. On September 25, 1789, Congress transmitted to the state legislatures, twelve proposed amendments. Ten of them were approved and became the Bill of Rights.