You may say this statement is ridiculous, but think about it. The House of Representatives is elected directly by the people the way it was intended by our founders. No State government influence or say in who gets elected. Representatives are accountable to and serve at the will of the people.
After the 17th, State Legislatures have no say or representation in Washington. Both Senators and Representatives are accountable directly to the people, not state government. What makes it even worse is that Senators don't represent small compact districts with their own interests like the House members do. Instead of representing say, an agricultural district, or an industrial district, a white, black or Hispanic district, Senators have to prostitute themselves statewide over all interests. The only way they can do this is by way of pork. Big pork barrel projects that will get them elected state-wide. Guess who pays for all this pork.
State government has to hire lobbyists such as the National Conference of State Legislators, or the National Governors Association, or private lobbyists to name a few. They stand in line with their hats in their hands behind all the other thousand of lobbyists like big oil, the tobacco lobby, the pharmaceutical lobby, etc. to try to influence their Senators. The problem is that the State lobbies don't have BIG BUCKS like the other lobbies do.
This is wrong. This is not the way it was intended to be. You may not trust your state Legislature, but do you trust big business and political action committees that fund multi-million dollar Senate campaigns more? (Don't get me wrong, I support free enterprise and capitalism 100%, however, big multinational corporations should not be running our country for their own benefit at the expense of the people. The amnesty bill is a prime example.)
We need to go back to the way things were. Do you think that Trent Lott and others were representing their states during the Immigration amnesty vote? Hell no! But Trent will get re-elected because of his seniority. If State Legislators sent Senators to Washington, they could also call them home and replace them. Do you think the federal government would ever impose unfunded mandates on the states again? Remember, the federal government is supposed to act for the benefit of the States and do what the States cannot do on their own individually.
My 2 cents for what it is worth.
Well said!
Glad to know there are others who understand that the 17th did far more that change the way senators are selected. It changed the fundamental design of the republic for the reasons you have eluded to.