[Pontiac]

I thought that it had to do with scandals of that day but certainly the abuses of power that exists today are several times worse than a few minor scandals.

Part of the 17th Amendment rational was that several states in that period with closely divided legislatures had failed to select a senator. If I remember correctly one state failed to send any senator at all for a time.

[HKMk23]

...one state failed to send any senator at all for a time.

Tough for the residents of that State, but an additional goad to the State's voters to get control of their Legislature.