In recent years, probably half of the Tea Party conservatives we've elected and sent to congress have gone wobbly or full rino. Why? Are they bad people? Maybe a small percentage were deceitful and had no intention of fighting the liberals. I believe the vast majority were truthful.
What turned them was the structure of congress. In a popularly derived congress, the way to remain in office is to, well, remain popular. In general that means robbing one citizen to give his wealth to another. Giving in to mob demands isn't outrageous, it is what is certain to happen in popularly derived institutions.
Back to history. Only eleven years had elapsed from our revolt to drafting the constitution. The confederation was totally inadequate to promote our collective happiness, our general welfare. As you pointed out, many of the same men who drafted the constitution, also had extensive experience in state and confederation government.
Most of them would go on to serve in the new constitutional government.
So, in a short period of time, much the same men served in our early state governments, the confederation, and our early constitutional system, yes?
Under the confederation, the people were hurting, our debts were massive, and European nations looked forward to picking up the pieces of our soon-to-fail revolution.
Under the constitution we spread across a continent, and within a hundred years became a second tier industrial powerhouse.
My point is that the structure of government is more important than the people we send to govern us. Under the Articles we were weak and at each other’s throats. The same people prospered under the constitution, because the structure of the constitution protected and promoted freedom and property.
THAT is why I regard repeal of the 17th as the keystone to our possible revival. Our framers knew that democratic republics always fail. They created a lasting structure that Americans of 101 years ago foolishly threw away.
As long as it is in the interest of individual senators to vote for more goodies, they will do so. They will personally prosper as they get rich in office, while their nation suffers and dissolves.
By all means elect conservatives, but it is insufficient if we wish to save what remains of our republic.
Since you seem to be so well read up on history then you know that the reason for the 17th ammendment in the first place was because the senators being appointed by the state legislators was resulting in the same problems we have now.
The only answer to that particular problem is term limits and restricting the amount of time the legislators actually spend clubbing it up together in DC. Sadly legislators will never vote to limit themselves. Delegates to an Article V convention won’t either.
The solution to the problems of this country went beyond the ballot box the first week of Nov 2012. Taking back the Constitutional repulic will require a more significant shakeup. And it is coming.
But I see the GA rules committee has sent a resolution in favor of an Article V convention to the floor of our legislature.