[Political Junkie Too]

And the national media has a multiplier effect upon the de-federalization of the Senate. Senators run in the national media, unlike House candidates.

That's why my first vanity post in 2002 was called Repeal the 17th Amendment: The Elegant Campaign Finance Reform.

Get rid of 33 of the most expensive elections that occur every two years. These days, the Chuck Schumers of the Senate use their vast campaign warchests to fund other Democrat candidates in House and Senate races.

Eliminate the Senate elections, and you begin to tear down the huge national party funding blocs that have arisen.

-PJ

[mrsmith]

Gee, I gotta say that IS elegant!

Of course the media that would lose all that revenue (and influence) would cover the issue fairly...

A consolidated national media makes a federal system superfluous if it has significant democratic electoral aspects.

[Jacquerie]

Great post from eleven years ago. You are exactly right regarding national committee influence over each Senator. No matter what the legislation is, no sitting Senator who values his job can afford to blow off big campaign bucks.

Also, it is why a gang of eight is negotiating w/labor unions and business over immigration policy rather than hold open hearings on the matter. The 17th was supposed to make the Senate responsible to the people; it actually isolated us from lawmaking.

Off topic. Do you think Mark Levin is working up to calling for an Article V Convention?