It seems to me that both of you would rather have politicians decide who to represent your state in the U.S. Senate rather than decide for yourselves. How cute. Do you similarly depend on politicians to tell you how to worship God or how to raise your family? Personally, I believe that citizens have the unalienable right to elect their representatives in government, but if you all want to delegate your sovereignty to politicians you are free to continue to communicate your meekness and subservience by advocating for the abrogation of your right to vote for your state’s representatives in the U.S. Senate.
Most states are gerrymandered to elect a particular party member. It is actually quite hard to rid yourself of one who votes poorly. Although I'm in a Republican state, the district I'm in is heavily Democrat. Unless said member retires, there's no way to get rid of them, and they're merely replaced by someone as bad, and often worse. Same goes for my State Senator, as I'm in a Black Voting Rights Act-mandated seat. I also similarly have no say for Congressmember, which is Democrat and has been since U.S. Grant won his 2nd term in 1872. U.S. Senator is the only office I can have influence over because I am outvoted on all the other contests. It would be unthinkable to give up that right to my corrupt, ultraleftist state legislator and incoming State Senator, neither of which represents me whatsoever.
In my case sprouting wings and taking flight would be easier than voting out my state legislators because like millions of people I’m in a heavily rat district. Republicans don’t even RUN for state leg here.
My vote for US Senator is the only vote for a legislative office that I have at any level of government that might make a difference. My pig state Reps can have my Senatorial vote over my dead body, do you understand?
And do not say “move”. That’s taking the argument off into an irrelevant tangent.
You might have a point about “special interests” if state legislators weren’t just as beholden to “special interests” as Congress, which they are.
Voting is over the heads of most Americans. They are allowed to vote anyway. I’d love to restrict the franchise. You make a great case for that, but not for taking away my vote for Senator and giving it to some jerk who was elected by those same idiots.
I’m telling you, repealing 17 would NOT (shout!) result in a better class of Senators but worse because those people in state legislatures, Rollo, there are politicians, they are ***holes like all politicians! Look at all the examples of a few RINOs (or 1 RINO in the case the TN House a few years ago) teaming with democrats to control legislative chambers, Alaska right now has a “GOP” Majority and a democrat Speaker. This could happen in almost every Senate race in a Republican. 60% of the GOP legislators in say, Arizona might decent on a decent nominee. Nothing is stopping the rest of them from voting with dems to put in Megan McCain.
I’ll whatever pitfulls occur in direct elections over that backroom horsecrap any day.
This discussion is academic of course because (and you seem to agree) this will not happen or even be seriously considered. Perhaps we’re all being too testy I’m just frustrating for having circular discussions on this topic for **years**.