[allmendream]

“This F-ing plum falls in my F-ing lap, and I'm supposed to F-ing give it away? No F-ing way!” Blagovitch on his power to appoint a vacant Senate seat.

Anybody think it will be much different than this? Fat cat special interest in bed with lobbyist appointees are going to be better than a choice by the people? They will certainly be more beholden to their State and local interests, but ‘bringing home the bacon’ with ‘local pork’ has never really been the problem now, has it?

[runninglips]

They are not talking about a governor appointing a Senator, but the entire legislature. Surely a few hundred people can be trusted to put thwart the control of one man. It also would guard against the apathy of voters in local elections. Their votes would mean so much more.

[IamConservative]

Anybody think it will be much different than this? Fat cat special interest in bed with lobbyist appointees are going to be better than a choice by the people?

If you read about the history of the 17th, this is exactly what you will find. Direct election of Senators was intended to minimize special interest influence. What the 17th did not anticipate is that special interest pressure would be applied through the party caucus.