Repeal the 17th Amendment, centralize Power in Red States, keep "the Harry Reid's of the world" out.

So what do Republicans do when big special interest money (thanks to their own beloved Citizens United decision), now controls all GOP politicians in congress? Do you try to get rid of the corrupting influence of money? Do you hold your elected officials feet to the fire? Do you try to reform the Republican Party and take it away from the radicalized right wing base?

Nope! Our Republican constitutional conservatives have decided to run from the problem, and go after their beloved Constitution, by getting rid of the 17th Amendment. What is it about their authoritarian urge to centralize power? Salt Lake Tribune:

The Utah Senate voted 20-6 to pass SJR2 ... It calls for Congress to repeal the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, to allow people to directly elect U.S. senators.

Its sponsor, Sen. Al Jackson, R-Highland, says electing senators by the state Senate is needed because no branch of the federal government now represents the needs of state governments. A change would force senators to do that.

Jackson: "We repeal the 17th Amendment, we don't get Harry Reid anymore. We don't get the Harry Reid's of the world because guess what, most of the country is red! And I hate to make this a partisan issue because it's really not..."

My head is spinning.....

Apparently State Sen. Al Jackson isn't aware of the House of Representatives? And yet, Republicans love the influence of money so much, that it doesn't even occur to them to just get rid of it:

"Today, senators are more beholden to special interest groups than to their states" because those interests give them money for reelection, Jackson said. "It's time for our senators to come home every weekend and take direction from this body and from the House and the governor on how they should vote in the upcoming week."

Of course it took a Democrat to point out the one major flaw in their thinking:  

Sen. Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, disputed the plan's logic. U.S. senators are now the only lawmakers elected by all voters in the state, she said, and therefore are not affected by redistricting that she says may have favored Republicans in Utah. She said repealing the amendment would also take away power from voters.