State lobbying?

[Elwar]

Ever since the 17th Amendment, which allows the people to choose their senators as opposed to the state legislature, the states have lost a lot of their power to the federal government.

Since senators are so heavily influenced by lobbyists, wouldn't it be prudent for individual states to lobby and endorse senators from the state government level? Pushing for things like ending Medicare which puts a burden on the state government, returning power to the states, etc.?

Why couldn't a state legislature choose the senator that they want to send to Washington in the same way they did back in the day and then make it known to the public early on in the campaign season?

[fisharmor]

What makes you think people would care what their state legislatures think?

I think there is a need for 10th amendment groups on the state level, sure - things are a lot more in flux on the state level, and it's a lot easier to capture political power there. (Probably the biggest reason for the federal system.) So yeah, it would totally make sense to push for anti-17th policies on the state level.

The problem is that it wouldn't be long before the Eye of Sauron turned in your direction.