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The American Experiment in self-governance was an inspiration to the entire world when it began in the late 18th century. A republic founded on democratic principles and the rule of law was felt to be too difficult to manage and to susceptible to corruption to be feasible.  The world looked on as the Great Experiment began to determine if a citizen government could be sustained.  The framers of the Constitution had faith a people that valued liberty and believed in self-reliance could, in fact, manage their own affairs if sufficient restraint was placed upon government to preclude the ambitious and avaricious from usurping the God Given Rights of the individual.

The American Republic has devolved over the years from its original design as a collection of individual states working together for common purpose, assisted by a federal system that standardized methods, promoted commerce, provide for national defense and preserve equality among the larger states and the small, into an oppressive monstrosity serving only to serve the interests of the powerful.  The domination of political parties has destroyed the republican ideals of the Founders and established ruling elite that barter away the rights of the individual to the gain the support of the special interests.

Of the many consequences the Civil War one of the most significant was the identity of the nation changed from a collection of individual states united for shared purpose to that of a single nation, comprised of individual districts, fused into a collective subservient to the national interest.  The country was no longer considered the United STATES of America, but became the United States of AMERICA. 

This ascendency of the federal government brought about a radical change to politics in America, as well.  No longer did the special interests have to seek influence with the various state legislatures and executives; rather it could focus its blandishments on the federal agencies and Congress thereby achieving their ends at significantly lower cost and effort.  As the powers of the federal government expanded, the more populous states asserted dominance over the smaller via this concentration of power.  

In 1913, the fatal blow to states’ rights came in the form of the 17^th amendment, providing for the direct election of members of the Senate by popular vote.  Senators were originally selected by the legislatures of the individual states.  This was to ensure that the state legislatures were equally represented and that Senators owed allegiance to the deliberative bodies that appointed them, rather than the factions or parties to which they subscribed.

The Founding Fathers carefully devised the Constitution to maintain a balance between the rights of the states and the power of the federal government.  The House of Representatives was established as the democratic body of Congress, members apportioned based on regional populations, capable of reflecting the current opinions of the voters and local interests.  The Senate was designed as a body representative of the individual states, with each state given equal representation to prevent the domination of the more populous states over the smaller.  This was a critical distinction, established to quell the concerns of the smaller states during the Constitutional Convention.  The Great Compromise, as it was known, was essential to gaining support of the smaller states for ratification.

By adopting the 17^th Amendment, the power of the states was effectively transferred to the political parties. 

In Federalist X, James Madison wrote that political factions were the natural result of democracy.  Men are selfish and corruptible, and will invariably unite into classes and factions.  It is by these factions that a majority will always act to suppress the rights and levy the property of the minority.  Madison explains that the only viable solution to the threat of an oppressive majority is the establishment of a republican form of government where the representatives are chosen to represent the best interests of society as a whole, and not the partisan interests of the majority.  The 17^th Amendment acted to eliminate the republican nature of the Senate, eliminating the check on a capricious House of Representatives.  It eliminated the protections provided to the smaller states and empowered the majority party with the tools to control government and suppress the rights of the minority.

We see, today, that many of our elected officials are willing to compromise the values and interests of their constituencies to maintain the good graces of the party power brokers.  The Senate, originally intended to overcome the corruption of party politics, has instead become the source from which it flows.  The power of the established parties has been engrained into our system of government.

We plainly see today that our representatives to Congress and government in general, no longer fear the wraith of their constituents.  Candidates unwilling to subordinate the interests to their state, and those of their constituents, to those of the national party have no chance of receiving the funding or exposure necessary to win a popular election.

The Senate was intended to be a mature and independent body comprised of honorable and respected individuals, appointed by locally elected officials, acting in the best interests of the states and the nation as a whole.  The act of making the election of these senior lawmakers dependent upon factional interests has corrupted our politics to beyond even that of which Madison warned.  Even the judicial branch of our government, supposedly immune from partisanship, has become infected with the corruption of political parties.

As of this writing, twenty seven states have signed a petition to call a Constitutional Convention.  The purpose of this convention is explained to be for the purpose of creating a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.  The act of calling a convention has become necessary because politicians bound by their party’s wishes will not consider passing such a resolution through Congress.  The states are therefore obligated to use the power granted by Article V. of the Constitution to force change upon the federal government.

I would propose that in addition to a balanced budget amendment, repeal of the 17^th Amendment also be considered at such a convention.  This would force delegates to the convention to choose between the interests of the party and the interests of their state.  Should they choose the party over the state, we can say that the Republic created by the Founding Fathers has ceased to exist and thereby be forced to admit the Great Experiment, that of a government by the people, protecting all the people by the rule of law, has failed.