text: The United States has become progressively more of a representative democracy over time. The original method for selection of U.S. senators by elected state representatives was replaced in 1912 when the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution called for their direct election by the citizens of each state. The indirect "election" of the President remains as an anachronism, and should -- as with election of Senators -- be replaced by direct election by all U.S. citizens eligible to vote. The President serves as the elected representative of all the people. We do not need to elect intermediaries to make that choice for us.