Because of the current political debate regarding in which political direction the country should go, I wanted to know if our children were being taught about our Founders' concept of governance and what that reality is today. I placed the question, in the context of the 17th Amendment, before my county's High School. The answer; our children are not being taught the real life political impact of this fundamental change Amendment.
I was not surprised. I had talked with too many intelligent adults who had no idea what I was talking about. The High School Government Courses are being taught in accord with the Standards of Learning prescribed by the Commonwealth of Virginia. But, today's significance of actions a hundred years ago is also relegated to the dust bin of history.
The 17th Amendment destroyed the Founders' concept of the Sovereign States as the counterpoint to the Central Government. The Senate was the instrument for constraining the power of the Central Government. The national political parties liked the 17th Amendment because it allowed the political debate to move from between the Central Government and the Sovereign States to a campaign between the two political parties which these national entities could control. If you believe that your Senator cares about your opinion, write him. See what you get back. Today, the political debate is between Democrat and Republican politicians competing for the center chair of an all-powerful unconstrained oligarchical Central Government.
How can we expect our children to honor our exceptional national heritage, if we do not insure that they know and understand the foundations of that heritage?
Bob Dewey
Wintergreen
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