I have maintained for some time that the 17th Amendment allowed two sections of the legislature to be guided by greed and government growth. The State-appointed Senators were the guardians of the 10th Amendment. Once removed, the 10th lost its function, losing to the will of the popular senators who were willing to fund their re-election with benefits from the treasury.
What is conservative? Conservative is a belief in the other C-word: the Constitution. Madison stayed to the letter of the Constitution, something we do not see from any politician at present.
The 17th amendment effectively cut one leg off of a three legged stool and we ALL know that two legged stools just do not work well.
The founder’s genius in creating our form of government has been subverted. They intended that the House would be the peoples house with it’s members directly elected by the people. The Senate was to be the house which represented the interests of the individual states and the executive was to ensure that the laws were faithfully executed.
Because of the 17th amendment the individual states are no longer represented and that is a HUGE problem!.