I have C-Span on in the background. Homo-marriage is the morning topic. The people of CA voted twice, once via statute and once via Constitutional Amendment, to recognize what civilization has long known. If Senators were State appointed I cannot imagine Anti-Tenth Amendment justices making it through the Senate Judiciary Committee, let alone the full Senate.
The 17th not only removed State agency from Congress, in its aftermath, it threatens the foundation of our republics: self government itself.