As I understand it, the trigger leading to ratification was, admittedly, a Senate candidate from Illinois allegedly bribing a number of IL legislators to assure his appointment in 1912. However, you still need to balance the chances of that happening against returning to the states a potent mechanism by which they could reign in this runaway government.
“However, you still need to balance the chances of that happening against returning to the states a potent mechanism by which they could reign in this runaway government.”
That’s the part we need back. Unfortunately it will take a lot of work as we can see how many states are drooling over the stimulus money. It will take a great amount of grassroots work to regain control of the state governments and put them back into Conservative hands. Then the 17th can go away and we can regain control of the wayward child that is our federal government.