I remember one of the arguments against our Constitution was that all three branches of government were contained under the same authority. Madison defended that by explaining that the Senate represented the State governments, something that the Seventeenth Amendment changed.
So, our government's powers are all self promoted and self managed. And, they determine their own pay.
“Madison defended that by explaining that the Senate represented the State governments, something that the Seventeenth Amendment changed.” And so too, the 17th A indelicately and gradually and unfortunately has undermined the originalists brand of federalism. By-passing states’ interests and state compacts has lead us to a dangerous populism, ie a mob democracy, whereby both chambers are controlled by vox populi sentiments which historically leads to mob rule.