In Fredericksburg, Virginia, the local sport must be butting into another state's business

Check out this letter to the editor in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star:

Sen. Jim Jeffords was elected as a Republican in 1988 by the people of Vermont. He left the Republican Party in 2001 and became an Independent.

This one man's decision changed the power within the U.S. Senate from Sen. Trent Lott to Sen. Tom Daschle.

Now, the country may face another tragedy because of a South Dakota law if Sen. Tim Johnson, elected as a Democrat, dies or does not make a full recovery.

Under that law, one man--Gov. Mike Rounds--can fill the vacancy with a temporary appointment, and that person would serve until the next general election.

Our country was founded on the premise of "we the people," and being misrepresented is just another example of why the U.S. Constitution needs to be amended to stop irregularities performed by state laws that adversely affect the federal government infrastructure.

The people voted but are not being heard. Why is common sense not common?

Paul Waldowski
Stafford
Read it here.

If you'll take note, Paul's concern for tragedy does not lie with the medical condition of our Senator. His version of tragedy is that "one man--Gov. Mike Rounds--can fill the vacancy with a temporary appointment, and that person would serve until the next general election."

My opinion? What an ass.

Paul apparently hasn't bothered to check on the law. It's not as if it was authored yesterday. It was passed years ago. Does anyone have any doubt that he might not be raising such a fuss if the Governor was of a different political persuasion? I certainly don't.

Paul ends his letter with the question "Why is common sense not common?" The answer? Because Paul cares more for the seat than the Senator.

Comments

Anonymous said…
This is the 17th Amendment. To note before that time the State Legislatures were the ones who elected Senators.



Was put into effect in 1914.

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislatures.
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: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution.
Anonymous said…
What an ass is correct. Did this author stop to reflect on our country's history? Although I am not an expert, this law has origins from when our U.S. Senators were elected by the legislative body, there were varied means of election process throughout the states.

And besides the point, why count Johnson out? I thought the national media was presumptuous enough. But after all this time, and after it is already said he will return to office?

Although this author has already made it quite clear he does not know U.S. history, he does not know a South Dakotan either, Senator Mundt's four-plus years in office without resigning could attest to this fact. Call it perserverance or stubborness-- it depends on who you ask.
Anonymous said…
what a jackass! How many states do not allow for the governor to appoint a replacement to the Senate when a vacancy occurs?

Most if not all states allow for this.
Anonymous said…
Boy, PP you really do have too much time on your hands. You're reprinting letters to the editor from some paper in Virginia. Must have been a slow news day.
Anonymous said…
The letter is from a typical liberal... If Sen. Johnson can't recover and the gov. appoints a republican, the liberals lose their control on the Senate. WOW...we must change things so that doesn't happen...The liberals are quacking in their sandles. Whenever something doesn't work out their way they want to dismantle or change it. It's their nature.

Remember, when ol' jumpin' jim jeffords bailed on the GOP, it was after the election and there was much discussion about his action since the Republican party funded his campaign and he was re-elected as a Republican. Of course, he didn't pay any penalty for it though...the old boy net you know.

Another good example of how they work is the dismissive comment above by nicholas Waldowski. "pp, you silly boy. Why this isn't even worth my batting my eyelashes at the computer screen!" Probably a relative of Paul. Oh.. those liberals...their so incestuous.
Anonymous said…
12:10 am - A mental picture of anyone or anything "quacking in their sandals" is pretty darn funny. How in the heck do they get sandals on those webbed feet?
Anonymous said…
Michael,

Quack, quack, quack that noise must be me quacking in my "sandles". Would that be more sand or less? I always prefer les. Oh, you must mean sandals.

Well, I guess you can't be referring to me. I always wear hightop, lace up, steel toe, Red Wing, work boots. They work better for kicking the crap out of dopey arguments.
Anonymous said…
For the record, the letter that I wrote was edited out of context! Your insults show that LIBERAL assholes do indeed believe everything they read from the press. My thoughts were misrepresented and especially my point of view all because some editor with limited talent thought they understood the context of my letter. I told this editor to republish the letter with thier NAME on it. I am not a LIBERAL nor do I want anything to happen to Senator Johnson which are concepts that were INVOKED by my letter being changed. For the record, my point was not against the Governor of South Dakota or any other public official. I simply pointed out that the voters of both Vermont and South Dakota decided on election day who they wanted to represent them at the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT level. Having any governor change representation elected by the voters or even worse what Jeffords did is simply WRONG and truly unconstitutional! The people of South Dakota elected thier REPUBLICAN governor because they want their state government under REPUBLICAN leadership is what my letter stated. As a leader, a governor needs the authority to appoint someone based on what the voters elected not by the party affiliation of the governor. The 17th amendment fails to cover this important loophole that only happened because this country is truly divided with 49 Democrats and 49 Republicans (CIVIL WAR). The other two decided in the 110th Congress to be Democrats and you wonder why this country is failing!
Anonymous said…
well, apparently, anonymous assholes don't understand the South Dakota constitution.

If the seat becomes vacant, it's the Gov's pick, regardless of who was elected.

and that's it.
Anonymous said…
I am the author of the letter ASSHOLE! Learn to read and realize that the South Dakota constitution needs to be amended because your REPUBLICAN governor in this case could change the structure of the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. Read my lips...
Anonymous said…
No, I'M THE AUTHOR of the letter poopyhead!

Learn to read and realize that the South Dakota constitution needs to be amended because I SAY SO.

I'm also demanding that the world change the name of the tomato to "Blurg." Why? Because I SAY SO.

Why do I call people asshole and poopyhead? Because I am the SMARTEST person in the world. ALL SMART people talk that way.

Read my lips...
Anonymous said…
Look idiot, I am the author of the letter sent to the editor of the Free Lance Star that doctored it up. Otherwise, you would not have any material to realize that the South Dakota constitution needs to be amended. You must be a PARROT because you have no original ideas and copying someone else's lines is a sign that your truly an IDIOT.
PP said…
Anons who are having trouble behaving - a couple of things...

Please keep it somewhat civil, or I'm going to bring out my big delete button, and just like Dr. Evil would say, you're all going to freakin' DIE! (or at least your comments will be deleted).

And as for the person claiming to be the author of the letter, it's up to South Dakotans to choose whether or not we want to change or constitution.

I would wholeheartedly tell the gov to pick a Republican, because the state constitution allows him to do so, notwithstanding the permission of someone who isn't a constituent.
Anonymous said…
When one STATE (SD) or one MAN (Jeffords) can affect the FEDERAL government infrastructure for a session of the US Congress then it is time for an amendment from the Constitution of the US. This amendment would override the constitution of any state and any man so they are not allowed to use a LOOPHOLE that does not represent "WE" the people. I am a constituent of the United States and hopefully you are too! Your residency as a SD constituent does not give you the right to do wrong because the SD constitution has a flaw that could be fixed to represent your constituents. It was the SD constituents who voted to send the Honorable Tim Johnson to represent them as a Democrat in the 110th Congress not your governor. Since the country is so divided politically on a national level, issues like these needed to be resolved in 2001 when Jeffords pulled his fiasco. Personally, I really do not care if the Democrats or Republicans are in the MAJORITY. It just goes to show that your value system is the same as a politician. You should run for office because you would lie, cheat, and steal plus tolerate those among you to do the same. Beware of the weapons of mass destruction they are very close to you at Minot AFB, North Dakota or are they at Ellesworth!
Anonymous said…
AMEN to the statement, "When one STATE (SD) could or one MAN (Jeffords 2001) did, affect the FEDERAL government infrastructure for a session of the US Congress then it is time to amend the Constitution of the United States." This amendment NEEDS to override the SD constitution so our governor does not undo the votes of the majority of SD citizens who sent the HONORABLE Tim Johnson to Washington to represent us.

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