The seventeenth amendment changed the foundation of our government toward democracy, and away from a representative republic. Giving franchise to the people, rather than nomination of the several state governments made the Senate another place politicians could buy votes from the electorate with preferential spending.

The Senate was initially envisioned by the founding fathers to protect the smaller states from the larger ones. The power of the purse was not totally controlled by the voters. The change made by the seventeenth amendment gave the power of the purse to a disproportionate number of voters in small states. States with smaller populations tend to get more from the federal government per person, after all they have more representation per person. Conversely, large states have less representation per person.

Voters will eventually figure this out. I live in the most populous state and have the least powerful vote. Some will argue, with merit, The United Sates is better of with less California influence. As a Californian, I have a way to fix my weak vote without worrying if the rest of the United States will go along. Without  any help from outside, all California would need to do, to get more power for vote is to spilt into three states, Northern, Central, and Southern California. The United States would have to accept the new states.  Other states could also reorganize themselves.

There are already moves to give the voters'  voices greater range, by changing the way Presidential Votes are cast. Many states will now give electoral votes by district, rather than the traditional winner take all fashion. They see this as a way to get all of the candidates from both parties to consider their states. How long will it take for those same states to try to figure out how to get their votes considered by the Senate?