Thread by @TomStark913

On this one year anniversary of the election of Donald J Trump to the presidency of the United States, we take a moment to reflect upon the past and ponder our path forward. Without question, the election of President Trump saved our Union from a race to oblivion.

As the past year has shown, we have major issues within our government and its going to take YEARS to right the ship. One man, one election is not going to do it. Voting republican or voting this or that is not sufficient on its own. The governmental problems are systemic.

For over a century the progressives have had it their goal to tear down our system of government. That damned Constitution is simply too rigid for those with grand ambitions. The Constitution that preserves our rights and our Union is seen as an obstacle to those people.

The Constitution has been chipped away at and strategically compromised by the progressives largely under the guise of democracy or equality. Anything to fool the masses into surrendering their own protections.

Congress is clearly a problem. It’s all too common for folks to enter the chambers with meager assets and decades later emerge multi millionaires and still holding on to their seat with every inch of their life. This has not gone unnoticed and is seemingly coming to a head.

The popular solution is term limits. This is a position I USED to share. A few years ago I had an epiphany that caused me to reverse my thinking.
I OPPOSE TERM LIMITS IN CONGRESS
That’s right, there are no limits currently and that must remain unmolested.

☝️However, an alternate remedy is possible, effecting the cause and not just a symptom, all without further eroding our liberties.

When reading the Constitution, article 1 section 3, might be confusing. It’s description for the selection of Senators is notably NOT how we select our senators.

In comes the 17th amendment. Unbeknownst to many at the time, that amendment was a dagger though the heart of our republic. May 31, 1913 marked the day our republic indeed DIED! As in our republic HAS BEEN LONG DEAD! That is NOT hyperbole.

Starting with documented original intent. On July 16, 1787 delegates narrowly adopted the mixed representation plan giving states equal votes in the Senate within a federal system of government.

Settling on two reps per state. Part of the "great compromise" between the large and small states. The People’s House would have representation proportional to population.

Every representative is selected by a different method. The executive officer is elected by the EC, the Senators by the state legislators, the House directly by the people and the judiciary via executive appointment then confirmation from the senate.

The main focus of the framers is to prevent the concentration of power. Intention of that focus is to secure individual liberty and best preserve the republic. That’s why each branch is set up differently, it’s members selected by unalike methods.

Every branch is a counter weight to the others. A brilliant system of checks and balances the likes of which the world had never seen.

The particular issue at hand is how our senators are selected. The idea of direct elections was offered and roundly REJECTED at the Constitutional convention. Let’s see some of what Alexander Hamilton had to say on the topic.

In Federalist 59, Hamilton says in part "every government ought to contain in itself the means of its own preservation" he is speaking of the sovereign state governments in particular.

Hamilton continues on the selection method "So far as that construction may expose the Union to the possibility of injury from the state legislatures, it is evil;... " an astonishing admission to public concerns Hamilton handled masterfully.

In the same breath adding, "but it is an evil, which could not have been avoided without excluding the states, in their political capacities, wholly from a place in the organization of the national government."

The senate was the states only way of being represented within the federal government rather than devoured and subjected, a process well underway today.

By popularly electing senators the states sovereignty eroded slowly and have become more and more dependent on the federal government. A usurpation the framers set out to avoid.

Montesquieu observed republics work better in small areas geographically, city states in particular. Large land masses have too diverse interests to remain intact and will ultimately fail.

Federalism was the answer to that historically observed truth. The sovereignty of the several States is a critical component of the complex apparatus that WAS our republic. Just over a century later we see the negative effects from the 17th amendment.

The 9th and 10th amendment are largely ignored. The federal government devours more and more authority and have effectively subjugated the states. Until the election of Trump apparently but that’s another conversation.

Special interests have taken hold of the senate in massive campaign financing and lobbying. Senators barely step foot in their home states anymore...if at all. Curtainly feel little to no obligation to their constituents any longer.

The foremost reason to repeal the 17th amendment is the restoration of our republic. Failure to do so will render all other efforts futile. If the our Constitutional REPUBLIC is not first resurrected and restored any subordinate effort will be wholly in vein.

A pleasant byproduct of this needed restoration would effectively limit terms to the liking of the states appointing them. As states representatives turnover, when terms come up the senator likely will too. To repeal the 17th requires a constitutional amendment. No easy feat.

The corrective measure of allowing the governor to fill the seat should the legislature otherwise fail to fill any vacancy after a set period of time is necessary.

This would remedy the actual problem the 17th amendment was intended to cure, coupled with speculation of the specter of corruption that failed to ever materialize in any significant way. ☝️ I mind you, most state legislatures are elected by popular vote. An important fact.

Not to mention every state representative is much closer, literally, to the people of their respective state than Washington DC. Physically closer and more accountable to the citizens. A very good thing.

Another benefit, overnight campaign finance reform. Effectively eliminating senate races will remove hundreds of millions of dollars of donations. No more California money pouring into New Jersey’s senate race for example. Restoring the deliberative body to original stature.

A few reforms that shall apply to both chambers of congress. First, when you are part of the governing body that makes the rules that have a great deal of influence on Wall Street... To be actively trading IS insider trading.

Only sitting congressman are seemingly exempt from that very serious securities violation that has sent many to federal prison.

McDonald’s popular promotion, monopoly, has some rules for the employees. Mainly they are barred from playing. If essential internal controls are set on something as serious as a fast food promotions, perhaps our nations legislative body should adopt similar measures, no?

John Kerry provides some examples to this problem while working on various ACA legislation (picking winners, losers and pacing ‘bets’ on the winner)
businessinsider.com/congress-insid…

In NO way is this exclusive to just (former) Senator Kerry, not picking on just him.
washingtonpost.com/politics/rise-…

An independent third party manager must be arranged prior to taking office where any holdings must remain for duration of service in congress. Rather than wanting to stay in office for decades enriching themselves, they may feel compelled to leave office to enrich themselves. 🤔

Service to our country, even as an esteemed representative or senator, should be a SACRIFICE. The reforms described help to return service to its roots. SACRIFICE & SERVICE.

McDonald’s has another rule in their food promotion. Family is barred from participation. Following the example set by a restaurant chain our members of congress should be barred from awarding lucrative federal contracts to family members. Looking at you @SenFeinstein

For years and years we hear tales of her husband winning multimillion dollar contacts one after the other
washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jun/…

It just seems odd that the senators husband has been getting what seems to be a lot of preferential treatment in being awarded contacts
sfgate.com/news/article/A…

Must be nice huh? It's good to be the senators spouse... 😒
papersourceonline.com/feinsteindeal/

Harry Reid hasn’t been in the news much lately, let’s not forget him and his kids 😁 (doners too for that matter)
reuters.com/article/us-usa…

Crooked as a ‘S’ that Harry! Such scandals should not be permitted to fester in the first place!
judicialwatch.org/blog/2015/03/c…

The final reform, most important, short of restoring the republic itself. Addressing the MAJOR issue of #GERRYMANDERING

Named after Elbridge Gerry then governor of Massachusetts. Coined in 1812, after the governor redrew Essex County districts (to favor his party) resembling a salamander. The following year he would be Madison’s vice president where he died in office, November 23, 1814.

Currently congress redraws their own district lines every 10 years. Of course they wouldn’t use this to their benefit 😒 that would be unethical. A Bipartisan commission, appointed by the STATES and WHOLLY INDEPENDENT of the SITTING HOUSE should take up the task redirecting.

Gerrymandering is a BIPARTISAN INCUMBENT problem and must be taken out of THEIR hands!

But don’t take my word for it. Ronald Reagan himself opposed term limits of any kind and saw reforms to gerrymandering as key.

10 minutes in for remarks on gerrymandering then 12 minutes 30 seconds for term limits. Reagan’s first post presidency long interview.
👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆👆

Recap: restore the Senator selection method resuscitating our republic. Simultaneously reinvigorating federalism & eliminating senatorial elections removing a large chunk of campaign finance bribes, er funds. (given that 💰 may find new avenue) 😕

The insider trading end with public holdings held an escrow of sorts. Elimination of the Congressional ‘friends and family plan’ with government contracts and remove redirecting from congressional control altogether.

After such measures are put in place, or something to that effect, staying on the hill for decades at a time would become much less attractive to crooks. We the people are free to vote for whom we like and if meeting qualifications should not be limited in service.

Service should be a sacrifice and the representatives should be of the people and not aristocrats.

The more I think about it, the more conceived I become that this is the cure to many of the current problems we see today with career criminals.. er.. Politian’s.
There are two possible ways of instituting these corrective measures.

First, two thirds of Congress can repeal the 17th amendment (also requiring three fourths of the several states to ratify) and congress must then place those very restrictive financial requirements on themselves and surrender their redistricting authority.

With just cursory understanding in human nature, to actually expect such action would be naive at best.

Article five offers another way, a convention of the States. Never in our history convened.
State legislatures, with everything to regain, can circumvent congress altogether and propose, pass and ratify amendments to the Constitution. With the same super majority requirements.

In the event we had a corrupt congress this safe guard was put in place at the behest of George Mason at time of drafting. Incredible foresight!

There currently IS an article V convention of the States effort currently underway! 34 states (2/3s) are needed to call the convention and to date 12 have passed resolutions to convene a convention of the states. A very positive development. 👍👍
conventionofstates.com

Unfortunately the main issue this movement is pushing for is term limits in congress. The 17th amendment was presented as a well intentioned remedy to the problem of deadlocked vacancies. But truly served as an agent of death to our republic and subsequently federalist system.

The well intentioned solution to toxic career politicians, term limits, will only further impede the liberty of we the people and not address the root causes attracting those unsavory characters into public service in the first place.

The quasi aristocracy in congress was never intended and must be addressed. Artificial caps placed on everyone does not address the root of the issue. Being it is lucrative to be in Congress. That should not be the case and the measures proposed are to address that root cause.

There is clamor for change. Understandably so as the status quo has gotten to an untenable point. The problems we face are largely institutional. Most current politicians will not address them as that would compromise their cozy little carve outs. This is unacceptable.

Term limits is not the correct solution. Leaving the underlying temptations to unethical personal enrichment and corruption would allow the problematic behavior to continue with the further erosion of liberty limiting terms thus rendering some desirable individuals ineligible.

With these reforms in place, any “career politician” would likely be of completely different character. If that person lived off just their salary and actually worked, that person might be worthy of hanging around longer than 8 or 12 years.

It’s the crooks that have entrench themselves, THEY are the problem. THEY have to go. Currently, they lack the proper motivation to vacate.

Absent needed reforms, term limits will easily become a revolving door of crooks no different from today. Flipside, occasionally forcing out potentially very good representation prematurely.

Some say actually instituting these reforms would be politically difficult to do. This is true, however seems disingenuous coming from the same people advocating term limits and a balanced budget amendment… equally challenging reforms to implement.

Some say that Madison, Hamilton and their peers did a masterful job… yet you think YOU can do better? This is a persuasive point. They where masterful in framing. No, we would not do better than they. No question about that…

However, the Constitution those men framed is not the Constitution we currently live under. This offers the opportunity to restore key elements and perhaps adopt a couple institutional reforms.

Some say the convention of states could become a “runaway convention”. Not a chance will three fifths of states are going to ratify runaway anything. Period. Worry not. The concern would be not getting anything done.

Current convention focus is primarily; term limits in congress and to a lesser extent a balanced budget amendment.

Simply refocus on repealing the 17th, reform gerrymandering and some personal financial restrictions on congress would achieve the desired goal, where the current proposals will not. IMO

I implore all readers to sit back and ponder if term limits would REALLY achieve the DESIRED Result. Rooting out career crooked politicians looking to entrench and enrich themselves. THAT is the problem.

Not blind blanketed limitation on all terms indefinitely.
We must cultivate the climate to attract fairly honest (much more so than now) congressmen and women eager to serve the country and honor their fiduciary responsibilities to We the People.

ADDENDUM: Adding further historical reinforcement, and one of our most ingenious framers James Madison must be heard from. My apologies for the initial neglect. In Federalist 62, Madison said in part the following

"It is recommended by the double advantage of favouring a select appointment, and of giving to the state governments such an agency in the formation of the federal government, as must secure the authority of the former; and may form a convenient link between the two systems."

In particular, this was said as oppose to the federal house selecting the senators and noting the necessity to "secure authority" speaking of state governments to the federal government.

Madison continued "No law or resolution can now be passed without the concurrence first of a majority of the people, and then of a majority of the states" an intricate check on federal legislation.

Madison later admits there can be necessary down falls associated "It must be acknowledged that this complicated check on legislation May in some instances be injurious as well as beneficial..."

The Constitution, vigorously debated by enlightened men, provisions set forth in framing are all based on accumulated knowledge from ancient societies and a host of prolific writers and thinkers. Most noteworthy John Locke and Baron De Montesquieu.

Pointing being, incredible genius went into the original drafting.

How about we get back to that???

Perhaps it was meant to be I forgot in include Madison until now, as they are the perfect last words to close with.✌️ 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸