Perhaps this is an academic point, but the Senate should have some measure of insulation from the people; its members ought to be accountable to the state legislatures, not directly to the people of the state.
The failure of the 17th amendment to provide this insulation has resulted in, I'm convinced, the ever-expanding power of the federal government beyond the scope allowed by the Constitution at the expense of powers reserved for state governments.
Not that the 17th amendment is going anywhere anytime soon.
Danged shame.
The failure of the 17th amendment to provide this insulation has resulted in, I'm convinced, the ever-expanding power of the federal government beyond the scope allowed by the Constitution at the expense of powers reserved for state governments.
Great points. Right on the mark.
The Seventeenth Amendment was a damaging blow to federalism, there can be no doubt.
But as it stands today, Senators are glorified representatives, and we shouldn't compelled to keep them in office simply to appoint "good" judges/tyrants.
Abolishing the 17th Amendment would be one step in the right direction. Our constitutional system is out of kilter, and operates far from its design.