17th gutted states rights. and makes it much easier to lobby and payoff 51 or 60 senators for favorable legislation than lobby 3000-odd state legislators.
Prior to the 17th, Senators were appointed by their State Legislatures.
Originally, the People were represented by the House, the States were represented by the Senate, and the Executive branch represented itself. This was part of the original bargain between the large states and the smaller ones; a confederation as opposed to direct democracy (which the FF's warned against).
The 17th was a power grab by the Federal Gov't; power that they stole from the states. It was sold to the people as a way to fight against corruption in the wake of the trust-busting years, but that was always a lie.
You're seeing states start to reassert their sovereignty in the form of State Nullification, and this is a very good thing.
It'll take a Convention of States to rectify the situation, but this is in the cards now. We are up to 16 states now, and need 34. I think the upcoming Constitutional showdowns over the 1A and 2A might be enough to get this to happen.
17th gutted states rights. and makes it much easier to lobby and payoff 51 or 60 senators for favorable legislation than lobby 3000-odd state legislators.
It did even more than that. It effectively turned us into a direct democracy instead of a Republic.
how were Senators elected before the 17th?
Prior to the 17th, Senators were appointed by their State Legislatures.
Originally, the People were represented by the House, the States were represented by the Senate, and the Executive branch represented itself. This was part of the original bargain between the large states and the smaller ones; a confederation as opposed to direct democracy (which the FF's warned against).
The 17th was a power grab by the Federal Gov't; power that they stole from the states. It was sold to the people as a way to fight against corruption in the wake of the trust-busting years, but that was always a lie.
You're seeing states start to reassert their sovereignty in the form of State Nullification, and this is a very good thing.
It'll take a Convention of States to rectify the situation, but this is in the cards now. We are up to 16 states now, and need 34. I think the upcoming Constitutional showdowns over the 1A and 2A might be enough to get this to happen.