[Mike Bates]

The Founders intended members of the House to represent their constituents; Senators were expected to represent their states. Bruce Bartlett has written:

The 17th amendment was ratified in 1913. It is no coincidence that the sharp rise in the size and power of the federal government starts in this year (the 16th amendment, establishing a federal income tax, ratified the same year, was also important). As George Mason University law professor Todd Zywicki has noted, prior to the 17th amendment, senators resisted delegating power to Washington in order to keep it at the state and local level. “As a result, the long term size of the federal government remained fairly stable during the pre-Seventeenth Amendment era,” he wrote.

[BikerNYC]

...Senators were expected to represent their states.

I understand the point, but what state interests does a Senator have to represent other than the interests of the state's electorate?

If senatorial candidate John Smith receives a majority of votes promising to represent the interests of the electorate in a particular way in matters x, y, and z, and he does so, what interests of the State is he not representing by carrying out the will of the electorate?

As George Mason University law professor Todd Zywicki has noted, prior to the 17th amendment, senators resisted delegating power to Washington in order to keep it at the state and local level.

Why would the direct election of senators contribute to a senator's delagating power to Washington over keeping power at the state and local level? I don't see a causal connection there.

[TigersEye]

Actually the 17th Amendment was never legally ratified. Spilled milk now.

[ApesForEvolution]

Great stuff here...

[justshutupandtakeit]

You can find nothing in the Constitution which states that the Senate was to represent States nor in the Constitutional Convention debates nor the Federalist. This is a commonly beleived myth but a myth none the less. The Senate was to represent the Long Term interests of the Nation and to be analogous to the House of Lords in England.