In 1913 the Seventeenth Amendment officially became a part of the U.S. Constitution, providing for the direct popular election of senators. This was a major departure from the plan adopted by the framers in 1787. According to Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, chosen by the legislature thereof for six Years.” The framers believed that in electing senators, state legislatures would cement their ties with the national government. They also expected that senators elected by state legislatures would be freed from pressures of public opinion and therefore better able to concentrate on legislative business and serve the needs of each state. In essence, senators would serve as “states’ ambassadors” to the federal government. Unfortunately, problems with this system soon arose, particularly when state legislators failed to agree on a Senate candidate, causing frequent Senate vacancies. By 1826 proposals for direct election of senators began appearing, but it took reformers nearly a century to achieve this constitutional change.
Recommended textbook solutionsPiazza: Introductory Italian
2nd EditionDonatella Melucci, Elissa Tognozzi
809 solutions
Points de Départ
2nd EditionAlbert Valdman, Cathy Pons, Mary Ellen Scullen
376 solutions
Temas: AP Spanish Language and Culture
1st EditionCole Conlin, Elizabeth Millan, Max Ehrsam, Parthena Draggett
829 solutions
Chez Nous: Branché Sur le Monde Francophone
2nd EditionAlbert Valdman, Cathy Pons, Katherine Mueller, Mary Ellen Scullen, Paula Bouffard
2,510 solutions
Recommended textbook solutionsAmerican Government
1st EditionGlen Krutz
412 solutions
American Corrections
11th EditionMichael D. Reisig, Todd R. Clear
160 solutions
Government in America: Elections and Updates Edition
16th EditionGeorge C. Edwards III, Martin P. Wattenberg, Robert L. Lineberry
269 solutions
Criminal Justice in America
9th EditionChristina Dejong, Christopher E. Smith, George F Cole
105 solutions
Recommended textbook solutionsAmerican Government
1st EditionGlen Krutz
412 solutions
Criminal Justice in America
9th EditionChristina Dejong, Christopher E. Smith, George F Cole
105 solutions
Government in America: Elections and Updates Edition
16th EditionGeorge C. Edwards III, Martin P. Wattenberg, Robert L. Lineberry
269 solutions
American Corrections
11th EditionMichael D. Reisig, Todd R. Clear
160 solutions