“And you DO know that pre-17th amendment many states were electing Senators popularly anyway. Right?”
“As was their right to do however they wanted. The problem is that the States rights were taken away by the 17th amendment.”
3/4ths of the states agree to this change. It was convenient to have a consistent rule as to how US Senators got there. Repealing the 17th amendment will be a waste of time for a simple reason: Every state will continue to elect Senators by popular vote anyway. Why? Because voters (like me) will demand it. I dont trust my State Rep to make this decision.
Either way the State's rights were taken away based on the bogus premise that it would limit corruption and take the money out of the appointment of Senators. It has failed miserly.