Assignment #4- Michael Kirschbaum

The article "States and Cities Angle for Stimulus Cash", written by Monica Davey, attempts to describe the cautiousness of American officials in dealing with the newly passed stimulus plan. Although many infrastructural plans are ready to begin following the transfer of funds, the plan is far from foolproof. Across the states, politicians as well as community leaders are grappling for what they consider sufficient funds, while building tension within the country. Governors and mayors are working quickly to form the budget plan which will qualify their state to receive the maximum amount of money. Obviously, the distrubution and application of Obama's stimulus package is going to be a distressing process. But this was to be expected considering the conflicting political positions across the country. Whereas some politicans anticipate using the money for highway construction or filling deficits, others pledge not to take advantage of the funds at all, believing it could only have disastrous effects. Placing the political disagreements aside, it is certain that the plan must be carried out with a few essential goals in mind. The funding must be implanted into the economy within a relatively short time span and be spent in a way intended to advance the country as a whole. Without these two guidelines in mind, the outcome of the stimulus plan would lose it's momentum and perhaps have severe consequences on our already ailing economy.

Article 5. B. Nash

“The Continuing Fall of Federalism” was written by the Pulitzer Prize winning conservative columnist George F. Will. The article was an editorial for the Washington Post and was picked up by The State.Com. The article was intended for the readers of the Post and any other national outlet with whom Will is syndicated.
With the recent controversies and the coinciding media attention regarding the filling of the vacant seat in both Illinois and New York, Senator Russ Feingold is proposing that the 17th amendment be changed to allow the equivalent of a run off election to fill a vacant senate seat. This will allow the senate to, in Feingold’s words, “be as responsive to the people as possible.” Will’s basic argument is that the framers’ had intended for the House of Representatives to be the more “responsive body that more closely resembles the will of the people. The Senate was to be a more contemplative body in place to balance the House, as the Framers were both terrified of a tyrannical single ruler and the unchecked will of the average citizen. He views this proposed change to 17th as just one of many small changes that are chipping away at Federalism as the framers intended it.

Assignment #5 S. Blackwelder

In the article, "The continuing fall of federalism," written by George F. Will, of the Washington Post, appeared on TheState.com, South Carolina's home page.

Will writes about Wisconsin Senator, Russ Feingold and his intentions of going through with trying to change the 17th Amendment. Feingold is in agreement with McCain on this issue.

In the past, governors have not chosen Senator positions very responsibly, therefore the decision has gone to the American citizens. Feingold is trying to restore the power of choice to the state legislatures, believing they choose stronger, more efficient Senators.

This article is aimed towards Americans who are in jeopardy of losing this right.

Assignment #5 ECapps

"Will: The Continuing fall of federalism" was and article posted on The State.com by George F. Will. Will, writes about how Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold's trying to change the 17th amendment is an unwise thing. Feingold wants the people to choose the seat but many people do not want to mess with our Constitution. Personally I agree that we should not presume to change the Constitution of our forefathers, why change it now when it has been fine for so many generations.
This article was written in opposition to Feingold's want of revising the Constitution. If this is allowed then what will be revised next? It is one thing to be progressive and another to medal with freedoms and federalism. How far is too far?

Assignment #5- JDeVoll

In the article "The continuing fall of federalism", George F. Will discusses the impact of the 17th amendment. The article appeared in the Washington Post. In it, Will trys to show the american people his views on how Senator Russ Feingold is trying to change the 17th amendment and how (in the authors opinion)it is not a good thing. The author is arguing that by allowing these changes it "nudge the Senate still further away from the nature and function the Framers favored."

Assignment #5 JHUNTER

The article, by George F. Will of the the Washington Post, appeared on thestate.com was a call to amended the 17th amendment of the Constitution. He speaks about Wisconsin Senate Feingold, along with John McCain backing, the need to revise the decision of having state executives fill vacant senate seats until a state can have a popular election. A move that no doubt has gain fueled with the Illinois Gov. Blagojevich scandal in which he tried to allegedly use his power by selling President Obama's vacate U.S Senate seat to the highest bidder in this case Roland Burris. Feingold contends that if it were revised to have just the people choose the seat all this scandal would have been avoided, an idea in which I am inclined to agree with. However the opposition comes from those who think that the forefathers of the Constitution got it right and this process should not be tampered with.

Will's article was written to oppose Feingold's view revise the Constitution and to have elections to fill vacant senate seats. He sides with the idea the framers of the Constitution had of the House, Senate, and the presidency having three different processes to fill vacancies which promotes the theory of checked and balanced. I have no issue with this notion either, but to have a free and open election each time is also fair and would prohibit the notion of selling a seat to the highest bidder which is completely unacceptable and does a disservice to the people it is suppose to represent.

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.