Quote:
Originally Posted by Figmo Bohica
A quick way to solve all this is to repeal the 17th Amendment. Let each state's legislature appoint the two senators. Then each state will have control of their senator. Once the 17th A was passed, all control and representation was lost........
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I don't know much about how things would work out by repealing the 17th, but this paragraph on it certainly brings out good points:
"Originally, each Senator was elected by his state's legislature to represent that state in the Senate. This was intended to protect each state's power within the federation established by the Constitution by having its own direct representation in the Congress. While an unqualified candidate might win a popular-vote majority through demagoguery or superficial qualities, the legislature, which could deliberate on its choice, and whose members had been selected by their constituents and had experience in politics, were thought safe from such folly.
Finally, election by the legislature was expected to insulate Senators from the distraction of public campaigning for election or re-election, leaving them free to concentrate on the great business of the federal government. This last purpose was also served by the six-year term for Senators, compared to the two-year term for U.S. Representatives."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevente...s_Constitution