Will: The Continuing Fall Of Federalism is an article authored by George Will. this article appears in the Washington Post. Will argues against the Constitution amendment introduced by the democratic senator from Wisconsin, Russ Finegold.
Will opposes the proposed amendment believing that this is another liberal assault on federalism. The adoption of this amendment would reduce the power of the states ceding more powers to the national government. Will claims that states were already weaken by the 17 amendment to the Constitution. That amendment removed power from the state legislators to the general electorate to select and elect members of the Senate. Will points out that the reduction of the states powers is not in-keeping with our political tradition of separation of powers and with the wishes of the frames of the constitution. The framers established the Senate to be a deliberative body insuring and protecting the interest of the state they represent. The Senate was never meant to be a responsive body like the House of Representatives. Finegold's Amendment would further reduce the power of the state by stripping governor's authority to appoint vacancies in the Senate by mandating an State-wide election to fill Senate vacancies. In conclusion, Will encourages the defeat of Finegold's proposed amendment. Dismissing it as just a liberal ploy to centralize power for the Federal government by weaken the powers of state government to appoint senators.
