The 17th amendment has done more to trash the intended and constitutionally mandated process of the US Government than any other thing. The 17th amendment rendered the individual states politically impotent and largely irrelevant.
A simple glance at the map in the link illustrates that if the 17th amendment were not passed, the Dems would be lucky to have even 40 Senators in that supposedly august body:
http://www.ncsl.org/tabid/21253/default.aspx
The 17th amendment ruined a beautifully designed ‘Republican’ form of government given to us by the founders, and has allowed this progressive agenda to advance.
I must be the dumbest Freeper around because I am not seeing the difference in Senators being elected by legislatures who are elected by the people as opposed to the people themselves electing the Senators, in effect eliminating the middle man. I suppose it is the same reasoning for electing electors in presidential elections instead of direct popular vote. Regardless, if the founders thought that was the best way to do it then I am in agreement with it.
I guess it in some way modifies the possibility of tyranny by a majority.