Looks as though you have been here before. I’m a newbie. Any advice?
Yes. If you never want to have a Conservative Senate again, repeal the 17th. One of the stupider ideas to be floated on FR in recent years... criminally stupid.
It's futile to explain to the anti-17th crowd who CURRENTLY runs state legislatures and what type of people they would appoint to the U.S. Senate if given the opportunity. (or even try to explain to them that appointed Senate in 1912 was a bunch of a criminals and hacks, hence the reason why amendment was ratified)
They're of the opinion that if the 17th is repealed, the state legislatures from 1789 will instantly arrive here in a time machine and appoint a bunch of Henry Clay's to serve to Washington.
Let them have their fantasy -- just don't let them nominate more politicians who agree with their Fantasyland.
Fun fact: Alabama (April 11, 2002), Delaware (July 1, 2010), and Maryland April 1, 2012) recently ratified the 17th, decades after it became law, as a symbolic show of support for an elected Senate.
The states that haven't yet ratified it are: Utah, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and of course, Georgia (appointing Democrat Zig Zag Zell Miller to the Senate, who replaced a conservative Republican and went on cast the deciding vote to give Tom Daschle control of the Senate, was GOOD for conservatives, the kool-aid drinkers tell me)