"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." ~ John Adams This is why the communists of the world are attacking our religion and morals. What is the social justice and equity movement if not an attack on morals and religion?
Why the 17th? Bribing a few politicians is cheaper than today... Harmon’s Histories: The Montana senator who bought the election, but was loved nonetheless (missoulacurrent.com) "He was fabulously rich, shamelessly obsessed with power and notoriety – and ruthless. In 1899, he showered Montana legislators with money, literally buying a seat in the U.S. Senate. Although forced to resign over the bribery scandal, he was quickly reappointed to the Senate in 1901 by a new territorial legislature, serving a full term until 1907. Of the whole bribery affair, he was famously quoted as having said, “I never bought a man who wasn't for sale.”