2016 Postmortem

okaawhatever

(9,462 posts) Mon Feb 4, 2013, 07:18 PM Feb 2013

Tennessee State Senator proposes partial end to direct elections of US Senators,

A Republican state senator in Tennessee is seeking a partial repeal of the direct election of U.S. senators in the state, but not before a fellow Republican's reelection campaign occurs.

Tennessee state Sen. Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains) has introduced legislation that would end party primaries for U.S. Senate seats, and instead give state legislators the power to select the major party nominees for election, knoxnews.com reported. Niceley said that changing the system would allow for more qualified candidates, along with lessening the need for fundraising and the possibility of extreme candidates winning party primaries.

"We've tried it this way (contested primaries) for 100 years," Niceley told knoxnews.com. "It's time to try something different."

U.S. senators have been directly elected since the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution in 1913, following over a century of state legislatures picking senators directly. Under Niceley's bill, party nominees picked by legislators would still face general election voters in November. The nomination process would require party members in both the state House and state Senate to meet to vote on nominees. The bill does not specify how candidacies would take place and what types of campaigning candidates could engage in prior to legislative votes.

So is this the GOP trying to keep the tea partiers out or the tea partiers trying to keep the GOP out?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/04/frank-niceley-tennessee_n_2616266.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

11 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Tennessee State Senator proposes partial end to direct elections of US Senators, (Original Post) okaawhatever Feb 2013 OP

Uh.... yeah! Turbineguy Feb 2013 #1

Niceley is an idiot Angry Dragon Feb 2013 #2

If they want to do it this way. Fine! LiberalFighter Feb 2013 #3

this is how pretty much every parlimentary democracy works dsc Feb 2013 #4

It is not most likely... Agschmid Feb 2013 #10

In this instance, I'm going to say that the GOP is trying to keep the Tea Party out. Fawke Em Feb 2013 #5

Well, in Tennessee they probaly want to keep the Tea Partiers in and the moderates out. SharonAnn Feb 2013 #6

If they want to end it on a state level go for it davidpdx Feb 2013 #7

Not all states have primaries now. onenote Feb 2013 #8

No, but once people have that right, it is really about limiting the franchise, which appears CTyankee Feb 2013 #9

Misleading. This in only for the Tennessee Republican Party and would only effect the primary. madinmaryland Feb 2013 #11

Turbineguy

(37,355 posts)

1. Uh.... yeah!

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Mon Feb 4, 2013, 07:25 PM

Feb 2013

There's an idea! Just cancel elections and put republicans in charge forever! What could go wrong? Look how well it worked when GW Bush ran things!

Here's a newsflash, dickhead, not everybody watches Fox News.

Angry Dragon

(36,693 posts)

2. Niceley is an idiot

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Mon Feb 4, 2013, 07:43 PM

Feb 2013

Maybe take all the money out of politics

LiberalFighter

(50,981 posts)

3. If they want to do it this way. Fine!

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Mon Feb 4, 2013, 07:49 PM

Feb 2013

But I don't think party activists at the local level would care for this to happen. It would likely be a negative to both political parties not to have primaries.

It would be inappropriate for the process to involve campaigning elected officials for their support and vote on the record. And the vote should be on the record.

dsc

(52,164 posts)

4. this is how pretty much every parlimentary democracy works

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Mon Feb 4, 2013, 08:01 PM

Feb 2013

It is an interesting idea but probably not constitutional.

Agschmid

(28,749 posts)

10. It is not most likely...

Reply to dsc (Reply #4)

Wed Feb 6, 2013, 01:32 PM

Feb 2013

Funny how that only matters about the second amendment. Huh?

Fawke Em

(11,366 posts)

5. In this instance, I'm going to say that the GOP is trying to keep the Tea Party out.

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Tue Feb 5, 2013, 12:09 AM

Feb 2013

Unfortunately, for the bluer cities, the Tea Party enjoys great favor in rural Tennessee and, given that Alexander and Corker, while still leaning HEAVILY to the right, are PERCEIVED by the Tealiban as "compromising" with the "heathen liberals," each may face a challenge from the right next time they run.

And, when the party goes too far to the right, they lose. It's been proven in a slew of other states. It would be the same here.

SharonAnn

(13,777 posts)

6. Well, in Tennessee they probaly want to keep the Tea Partiers in and the moderates out.

Reply to Fawke Em (Reply #5)

Tue Feb 5, 2013, 02:16 AM

Feb 2013

davidpdx

(22,000 posts)

7. If they want to end it on a state level go for it

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Wed Feb 6, 2013, 03:54 AM

Feb 2013

It would probably get challenged in court. Why should every state have to follow suit? The whole idea is undemocratic and wouldn't allow for grassroots candidates on either side. The next thing you know they'll suggest eliminating the primaries for president.

onenote

(42,715 posts)

8. Not all states have primaries now.

Reply to davidpdx (Reply #7)

Wed Feb 6, 2013, 09:22 AM

Feb 2013

Some states currently use party conventions or caucuses to nominate a candidate for statewide office and/or to pick delegates for the convention at which the party's presidential candidate is selected. There is nothing particularly sacrosanct about primaries.

CTyankee

(63,912 posts)

9. No, but once people have that right, it is really about limiting the franchise, which appears

Reply to onenote (Reply #8)

Wed Feb 6, 2013, 01:29 PM

Feb 2013

to be a Republican "value". Expanding rights in a democracy is a good thing.

madinmaryland

(64,933 posts)

11. Misleading. This in only for the Tennessee Republican Party and would only effect the primary.

Reply to okaawhatever (Original post)

Wed Feb 6, 2013, 04:04 PM

Feb 2013

The selection of the candidate by a party to run in the state election can be done in any number of ways. This would really only effect Republican party rules. There would still be a general election to elect the senator as specified by the 17th amendment.

If that is what the repukes want to do to their party in Tennessee, then let em.

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