Preservation of states' rights was of utmost importance to the Founders.  As  James Madison articulated in Federalist 45,

"The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite....The powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the life, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State."

The 17th amendment changes the election of senators to a popular vote instead of appointment by the state legislatures thereby leaving the states without any true representation at the federal level.  As a result, a constitutionally limited republic has been transformed into a national democracy on the fast track to aristocratic tyranny.  

The senate no longer produces men beholden to the states for power, such as John C. Calhoun, who stated thus to the senate in 1832,

""The Constitution is a contract in which the states appear as sovereigns.  Now every time a contract is drawn up between parties with no common arbitrator, each of them retains the right to judge the scope of its obligation by itself."

The speech was in regard to the up roar in the South Carolina over federal tariffs.  The state of South Carolina was so incensed that they passed a law that forbid South Carolinians from collecting or remitting the tariffs.  Further, they told the federal courts not to bother with any of the challenges brought against the law because they didn't care what the federal courts said.  

Oh, South Carolina then called up and armed its militia.

Can anybody imagine Heat Miser or Marx Levin defending Michigan's sovereignty in front of the senate or anywhere for that matter?

To correct our future course, an examination of roads previously traveled would be helpful.  Upon this review a repeal of the 17th amendment would seem to be a step in the right direction.

-Crippy