Because of the Blagojevich-Burris controversy, where Blagojevich was forced from office after trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate seat, and Burris is still ceontending with allogations and rumors, Feingold is attempting to change the constitution to require popular election of senators in all circumstances. The constitution originally provided for election of senetors by state's legislatures, which was changed with the passing of the seventeenth amendment to allow for popular election of senators. The seventeenth amendment allows for the state executive branch to appoint senators in the event of unforseen vacancies.
I feel that McCain and Feingold have a valid arguement. Popular vote would allow for less chance of corruption. Allowing the government to decide in the event of a vacancy does not allow the people of that state to determine a replacement of who they did choose. George Will, the author of the article, however, says if the 17th ammendment was repealed there would also be a reduction of risk of corruption since the state legislature would choose senators as the founding father's intended.
