Throughout the life of the US government, changes have taken place in the various branches. We cannot simply pretend that they are exactly as the Founding Fathers designed and imagined them; they have become much more. These changes include the adoption of the 17th Amendment, the general ceding of control of power to the executive branch, and the centralization of power in the hands of a few congressional leaders in recent years. These are some of the most important changes that have altered Congress and the American government in general. One of the key changes mentioned at the beginning of the course was the adoption of the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution. The founders initially intended that senators would be “one step away from the popular vote” (Davidson, Oleszek, and Lee 2010: 5). They achieved this by having them chosen by state legislators rather than by citizens themselves (Davidson, Oleszek and Lee 2010: 42). The goal was that the founders hoped that creating the Senate differently would allow them to be able to “add stability and wisdom to the actions of the popularly elected House” (Davidson, Oleszek, and Lee 2010: 42). However, ultimately in 1913, Congress and the states approved the Seventeenth Amendment in hopes of making America more democratic through the direct election of senators (Davidson, Oleszek, and Lee 2010, 24; Rossum 2003 , para. 3). This was primarily a response to active pressures exerted by the progressive movement during this period (Davidson, Oleszek, and Lee 2010, 24; Rossum 2003, para. 3). They had hoped to curb the control and shady deals facilitated by special interest groups (Davidson, Oleszek and...... middle of paper...... at which point the current Congress has altered the original intent of the founders. It will be interesting to note the changes in the years to come as Congress faces more difficult challenges and difficult situations. Works CitedCooper, Joseph, 2009. “From Congressional in Presidential Preeminence.” Oppenheimer. Washington, DC: CQ Press. Davidson, Roger H., Oleszek, WJ and Lee, Francis L. 2010. Congress and its Members Washington, DC: CQ Press Rossum, Ralph A. 2003. “The Seventeenth Amendment. and the Death of Federalism.” Presented at the Panel on Republicanism, Federalism, and the Constitution, Williamsburg, VA Smith, Steven S. and Gerald Gamm “The Dynamics of Party Government in Congress,” ed. Lawrence C. Dodd. and Bruce I. Oppenheimer Washington, DC: CQ Press..