Reader Comments on The Baltimore Principles
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David Arnett Arnett Institute web nerd |
The Baltimore Principles
Christopher Clark wrote...
This long overdue book should be taught in EVERY classroom in the U.S.A., and be given to every member of CONGRESS. This book is about what made AMERICA GREAT to begin with. We, as a NATION, should adhere, once again, to the Baltimore Principles.
Christopher Clark,
member, George Washington Chapter, Virginia Society, National Society Sons of the American Revolution
Bob Barnette wrote...
This book has profoundly changed my thinking and lifted the fog from my mind. I slapped my palm to my forehead, wondering how I could have failed to envision this simple structure of vertical checks in government before.
Back in high school when I first heard of the 17th Amendment I thought, "of the people, by the people and for the people" and accepted it as a good thing. During the past decade my thinking had shifted to considering that maybe it was actually a bad thing, but couldn't get myself wholeheartedly behind repealing it, thinking that moving one big mess in Washington down to fifty big messes in all fifty states would only be rearranging our nation's problems, not fixing them. But being able to envision the Baltimore Principles applied on the city, county, state and federal levels plots a sane course for the future.
We may never see that entire dream realized in our lifetimes, but the repeal of the 17th Amendment could certainly happen rather quickly. Understanding what the Baltimore Principles are is something every american needs to learn. I'm glad I have.
Gene Van Wagoner wrote...
After reading the Baltimore Principles I realized how important it is to go back to those checks and balances.
The people were really in charge in those early years and government power was at the lowest level next to the people, where abuse of power is less likely and corruption more detectable and controllable.
This really makes a good case for repealing the 17th amendment, which would restore the important checks and balances that existed before 1913 when the 16th and 17th amendments came into play.
Thanks for such a great book.
Gene Van Wagoner
Peter Bodle wrote...
Good piece of writing, but a great piece of research. To me this is how democracy should work, not the half baked variations we have to put up with at the moment.
Baltimore had it right to put it in place at the birth of a nation, now all we have to do is work out how to get it back into place where it should have been all along.