Question

Even today some people claim that the Seventeenth Amendment was a bad idea. What arguments could be made for reverting selection of US Senators back to the state legislatures?

Answer 1

Answer:

In 1911, the House of Representatives approved the Joint Resolution of Assembly 39 (House Joint Resolution 39), proposing a constitutional amendment for the direct election of the senators. However, it included a race provision (Race Rider) created to block federal intervention in cases of racial discrimination among voters. A substitute amendment created by Senator Joseph L. Bristow (R-KS) eliminated that race provision. The amendment, Joint Resolution, was adopted by the Senate, in a close vote on May 1911. More than a year later, the House accepted this change, and the amendment was sent to the states for ratification. On April 8, 1913, three-quarters of the states had ratified the proposed amendment, and it was officially included as the 17th amendment.

Explanation: