“... The problem with 17A is that it shows how badly citizens had become detached from the Constitution and its history by the 1910s”.
But at least then they didn’t have a national media to control their Senatorial elections. The elections were influenced by local media for mostly local concerns.
Elections covered only by local media would probably yield about the same candidates as a legislature would appoint.
They didn’t know a national media would arise.
It is only since the rise of national TV networks that the Senate has become vehemently anti-federalist.
Many say this occured because of the civil rights movement - but that was merely the first occasion that the national media showed it’s power.
The precursor national radio media was made use of by FDR to effect anti-federalist policies too. But TV is much more powerful.
Now we expect any Senate candidate that the media doesn’t like to be destroyed for the slightest slip- even an imaginary one!
Shame the internet has been totally corrupted by the same national media. Had some hope for a while that a more diverse regional, if not states-oriented, counter to the consolidated view of the national media would arise there.
Good point about Senate and media. TV media made it easier for the OWG Progressive Movement to get its propaganda out as evidenced by “conservative” Obama guard dog Fx News.