Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear requests update on Sen. Mitch McConnell's health

[u/IWantPizza555]

https://www.whas11.com/article/news/politics/national-politics/kentucky-governor-andy-beshear-requests-update-senator-mitch-mcconnell-health/417-b9252baa-29ab-489e-94f1-147aa41e78ed

[u/echoshatter]

We don't allow the arrest because most of them had to pass through multiple states to get there. It was put in place so a state couldn't detain a Senator or Representative and sway the vote. I am peeved about the lack of recall options; I get not allowing a public recall, but the state legislature should be able to recall someone with a two-thirds vote and consent of the governor.

I personally am a fan of amending the constitution that would require someone who has been in dereliction of duty for more than 2 consecutive weeks to appear before their state's legislature and answer as to why they have been absent, with of course an exception that if they really are in a bad way that they publicly accept a delegation from their state's legislature where they are (i.e., in the hospital).

But I also want there to be a system that allows for temporary proxies to be on the job. So like if a Senator falls ill or seriously injured they could write to their state's governor with a list of recommended proxies, typically their office staff I'd think for continuity reasons, and the governor would appoint one of them to serve for up to 30 or 60 or 90 calendar days, depending on circumstances. Or something like that. Like, a state should not be without representation no matter what. We have a President and Vice President, how do we not have backups for Congress as well?

I think back to Congresswoman Gabby Giffords who was shot in the head; as soon as that news hit and it was clear she was going to be out for an extended period of time a proxy should have been appointed to serve her district at least until a special election could be held to replace her. Likewise, there was that Republican Congressman who was missing for months and just recently came back and said he was getting treatment for depression. My dude, you have repeated voted against giving average people the same thing you just benefited from yourself. That makes you a hypocritical asshole, and you should have had to account for your absence.

And the same thing could be done for judges. If a judge is out for an extend period of time, a proxy judge could be appointed, perhaps from a list of retired judges willing to sit in temporarily, so that the bench remains staffed and justice doesn't have to wait.

[u/grexl → u/echoshatter]

It was put in place so a state couldn't detain a Senator or Representative and sway the vote.

Correct.

Back in 1789 - when the U.S. Constitution was ratified - the country was a wild place. After around a decade under the Articles of Confederation the nation was about ready to fall apart at the seams. There was a lot of finger-pointing between states and politicians about why this was the case and a lot of divisiveness about what the solution should be.

Back in that era, people felt more allegiance to their specific colony or (later) state, not the country as a whole. "I'm a Virginian" as opposed to "I'm an American."

Slavery was a hot button issue and the Capitol, which relocated multiple times, was usually located in Union territory.

People really were concerned that one state might detain legislators from another state passing through to the Capitol to perform their federal legislative duties.

That clause was added to ensure that states could not play dirty in this one specific way.