Normally, I would be viciously shredding anything Feingold came up with. I mean, come on, it’s Feingold for God’s sake.
Stunningly, however, I agree with him on this:
Russ Feingold is introducing a Constitutional amendment to end Senate appointments by state governors, following Burris/Blago and Paterson/Kennedy/Gillibrand:
His release:
“The controversies surrounding some of the recent gubernatorial appointments to vacant Senate seats make it painfully clear that such appointments are an anachronism that must end. In 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution gave the citizens of this country the power to finally elect their senators. They should have the same power in the case of unexpected mid term vacancies, so that the Senate is as responsive as possible to the will of the people. I plan to introduce a constitutional amendment this week to require special elections when a Senate seat is vacant, as the Constitution mandates for the House, and as my own state of Wisconsin already requires by statute. As the Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee, I will hold a hearing on this important topic soon.”
Of course it should be the vote of the people; that seems almost elementary. One good proposal doesn’t take back all the bad garbage he’s done over the years, but I side with him this one time.
