Assignment #5 LFraser

"Will: The continuing fall of federalism," is an article written by George F. Will of the Washington Post. This article is written for the American people about the fall of federalism. In this article, George F. Will writes about the 17th Amendment. Will says, "Some governors have recently behaved badly in appointing people to fill U.S. Senate vacancies. Feingold's solution, of which John McCain is a co-sponsor, is to amend the 17th Amendment." Will then says, "It would be better to repeal it." When the Constitution was written state legislators were the ones who elected senators. "The 17th Amendment says that when Senate vacancies occur, 'the executive authority' of the affected state 'shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature if any State empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.'"

Now Feingold wants to change the 17th Amendment to say, "No person shall be a senator from a State unless such person has been elected by the people thereof. 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." However, Will believes that State legislators should be the ones to elect senators.