ALEC Floats Legislation Chipping Away At The 17th Amendment

[applegrove]

ALEC Floats Legislation Chipping Away At The 17th Amendment

by Amanda Terkel at the Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/15/alec-17th-amendment_n_4281729.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

"SNIP................................

WASHINGTON -- The conservative American Legislative Exchange Council is wading back into election issues, as it considers supporting a bill that would increase the role of state legislatures in the election of U.S. senators, chipping away at the powers vested directly in the people under the 17th Amendment.

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The measure could also lead to shenanigans by state legislatures. For instance, a GOP-controlled legislature could nominate a Democrat to appear on the ballot, splitting Democratic votes between two candidates in order to help a Republican nominee's chances. Or a Republican legislature could make clear that it's standing behind a certain candidate, despite whoever voters might pick in a primary, thereby creating incentives for other candidates to drop out and perhaps tipping the scales toward an establishment pick.

Brian Wietgrefe, research director for the group ProgressNow, first highlighted the bill. The organization helps promote progressive infrastructure in the states.

"ALEC tries to pass itself off as a centrist business group, and promised to stop working on elections policies," said John Neurohr, spokesman for ProgressNow. "Now it turns out they lied, and are again looking to roll back the people's right to vote for senators through a fringe-radical piece of legislation. Every new element of transparency just proves ALEC is rotten to the core."



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[Laelth]

1. ALEC stinks. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[Scuba]

2. If it's from ALEC, it's bad for America.