What percentage of Americans support the repeal of the 17th Amendment?

[Stranger in a strange land]

The 17th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution reads:

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Repealing the 17th Amendment, which allows for the direct election of senators, seems to be pretty popular among the Tea Party Crowd. However, I doubt very many people would willingly surrender their right to vote for their senators. What say you? Is there any polling on this issue?

[RIP Robert H Bork]

5%

I don't think the repeal movement is very popular, not even among Tea Partiers.

[Torie]

I have always been confused why a few conservative nutters think the DOA and Quixotic idea of reverting to having the state legislatures "elect" Senators would further any of their agenda. Does anyone know?  And just what is their burr up the derriere on this one?

Free Republic used to host a fair number of rants on this subject. I just watched from the sidelines, since none of it made any sense, and it is in general a mistake to get in bed with a nutter.

[Frodo]

I suspect support for a proposed nullification amendment (particularly after the passage of 'Obamacare') would be much higher.  

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

10% support, 10% are opposed, the remainder don't know what it is and aren't aware Senators weren't even directly elected originally.

[Antonio the Sixth]

<10%

[cinyc]

I have always been confused why a few conservative nutters think the DOA and Quixotic idea of reverting to having the state legislatures "elect" Senators would further any of their agenda. Does anyone know?  And just what is their burr up the derriere on this one?

Free Republic used to host a fair number of rants on this subject. I just watched from the sidelines, since none of it made any sense, and it is in general a mistake to get in bed with a nutter.

At least in theory, it reinforces federalism by making states matter more.  Senators would be more beholden to the needs of the state legislators who selected them than the people generally.   They'd be less likely to give up power to the federal government and make sure their bosses get to keep more power.  In theory.

<5%.  Heck, less than 2%.

[feeblepizza]

I'd say <10%. There's no real official polling on the issue, I don't think. I'm one of them, though.

[memphis]

Presuming you first explain to them what the 17th amendment does, very few.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Presuming you first explain to them what the 17th amendment does, very few.

Yeah, I doubt even a small minority of people could tell you what the 17th Amendment does offhand.

[King]

35%

Not because 35% know anything about it, but if it were proposed by a President or popular politician, 35% of Americans will like that person enough to support it blindly.

[Badger]

Presuming you first explain to them what the 17th amendment does, very few.

Yeah, I doubt even a small minority of people could tell you what the 17th Amendment does offhand.

I assume this presumes a referendum or poll that explicitly asks preferences of direct election of senators vs. election by state representatives.

In that case, I voted under 10%. I worry it could be in the 10-20% range considering how many congress members openly flirt with the idea. They couldn't be THAT out of touch of even the hard-right base or the tea partiers, could they?

[phk]

5%

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Probably about 10%. You can find that percentage of the population to support almost literally anything.

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

The abolition of the 17th is quite a good idea to return power to the states.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

<10%

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

I'd say <10%. There's no real official polling on the issue, I don't think. I'm one of them, though.

Why do you support repeal?

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

The abolition of the 17th is quite a good idea to return power to the states.

Return power from who?  The voters?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I'd support returning the election of the Senate to the State legislatures in return for stripping the Senate of any role in legislation that does not impact State governments.  That said, I don't reform of the Senate as a pressing issue or one that will see anything done about it this century.