CD 1: Neither deserves vote

The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides for U.S. senators to be elected directly by the people of the several states, and was ratified in 1913. This amendment served to bring government closer to the people, and closer to democracy. Effectively, this amendment stopped what had been decades of problems with deadlocked state legislatures leaving senate seats unfilled for prolonged periods of time. It stopped real and perceived bribery and corruption that had permeated the senatorial selection process, and the practice of some states sending a different senator to Washington every year.

   The people of our state are now and always have been independent and strong-minded.  In that vein, it is disturbing to me that two Republican candidates vying for the opportunity to challenge Congressman Minnick are both in strong support of repealing the 17th Amendment.  This was revealed in an April 30 interview by Idaho Reports.

   Candidate Vaughn Ward supports his position as an issue of preserving “state's rights.” Raul Labrador frames his position in terms of senators forgetting that they are “beholden to the people of the state.”

   Clearly, the 17th Amendment makes senators directly responsible to the people who elect them and has nothing to do with issues of state's rights, except relinquishing state

legislative power directly to the people. I am one Idahoan who wishes to keep that power and will not support any candidate who wishes to take it away. Neither Mr. Ward nor Mr. Labrador will get my vote.

LEE WALLACE

Post Falls