Here's an interesting quote from a western Senator, showing his view of his role in the US Senate:

In a sign of how important Republican support would be for ensuring final passage of any (gun control) legislation, at least two Democrats facing difficult reelection fights in 2014 — Max Baucus (Mont.) and Mark Pryor (Ark.) — said they might break with their party in opposition to the bill.
“My primary focus is the state of Montana, they’re my employers, I’m just the employee, I’m the hired hand here,” Baucus said Tuesday. “I care much more about Montana. I’m just going to wait and see what’s proposed.”
Pryor said he has advised Reid that he might join the GOP filibuster, “depending on how this plays out.”

When the government was formed buy the framers, the Senators were supposed to be more than the "hired hands" of their states. They were supposed to take the long and wide view, and work for the good of the wider nation, rather than just of their states. Hence the long Senate terms and appointment by the states' governors.

Maybe we actually should repeal the 17th amendment

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/pos ... r/?hpid=z1

I disagree with Baucus on MANY issues ~ “My primary focus is the state of Montana, they’re my employers, I’m just the employee, I’m the hired hand here” is a nice sound byte ~ but reality is that Baucus and many others "follow the money" first ~ in my perfect world that I know does not exist, instead of repealing the 17th Amendment, I'd prefer to educate the senators and the public on the senators' job descriptions, stressing "... the long and wide view, and work for the good of the wider nation" ~ any senator who fails to meet the job requirements should not earn reelection ~

Sooz

What's a Senator for?

Mopping floors?

Baucus is not really following his constituency. Montana is one of the LEAST red red states, and this issue is profoundly in favor of the blue side.