Since this is such an important amendment that needs repealed, instead of talking about this, why not DO something about it? Here is a link that should take you to the Congress.org website. Use the congressional directory and contact your US Representative and tell them you want it repealed. We gotta start somewhere.
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/directory/directory.dbq?command=congdir
There's already a bill pending, with it's most prominent supporter being Tom DeLay.
A lot, an awful lot, has changed since the 17th. Today, the States want as much federal money as they can get. It won't matter whether the Senators are sent by the people or by the State legislatures.