Prior to 1913 Senators represented the interests of the entrenched powers in the state Legislatures. thus the senators represented the interests of a 48? power blocks (imperfectly) distinct from the controlling interests of the power in washington. The structure of our Republic was designed to place checks and balances on power blocks, This arrangement had some advantages. Unfettered Democracies are bound to destroy the minority that is the entrepeneurial class , and thus the society itself. Checks and balances prevent the majority from voting itself an untoward share of the legitimate fruits of the labor of the most honestly productive members of society. In the real world, The entrepeneurial class (along with the illegitimate paper aristocracy and entrenched corporatists) protect themselves by purchasing access to the power center and to the public media.
Once forced to protect their interests politically, the entrepeneurial ( and less legitimate paper aristicrats and corporatists) class naturally could not restrain themselves, and used the hard bought political access to to do their own form of systemic robbery by the largest members in the entrepeneurial class. a perfect example of entrepeneurs needing to buy access is Microsoft. for years they eschewed having any lobbyists in washington. They got chewed for that and now have many lobbying to protect them, although I do not know if MSFT has succumed to the temptation to now curry positive favor. The result of attempting more democracy has been to increase the stranglehood of the corporatists on the federal governemt which is further centralized with the the castration of State based power .
the democratic movement has succeeded in destroying the power of the people by inadvertently removing institutional barriers designed to prevent the concetration of corporatist power in the Capitol.
The founders understood that government is power, will always attract power, and thus corruption. this is simply human nature.To limit the abuse inherent in power, they intentionally set power blocks upon each other. some democratic, such as the House, some less Democratic. some Washington centric, Some State Centric. All in the hopes of having a system that trod on neither class too heavily.
Once again, I urge the reading of De toquevilles " Democracy in america written in the mid 1830's and still as fresh as tonights brightest blogger.