Look at the names mentioned in the list. All but Gore and Gephardt are Senators. If you eliminate the Senate elections and restore state appointment to the Senate, then you eliminate the campaigns and the need for campaign financing. Eliminate campaign financing and you reduce the influence of money from deep-pocket special interests.
-PJ
But there WERE reasons for taking the designation of Senators away from the State legislators in the first place, weren't there? Cronyism?
I'm not that familiar with the history of the 17th Amendment...................an interesting proposal though.