OK Before those of you who are way too serious dismiss the idea out of hand, let me say up front I know the odds of this happening are nearly zero. It is a radical idea but it is going to require some sort of radical action to remedy the "circles of corruption" so dramatically on display in the recent healthcare debates. Besides, a guy can dream can't he? This is the only way I can think of to stop the complete assumption of US political power by corporate lobbyists. They got a serious taste throughout the Bush years and they'll be back.
It can be done easily. A draft of the Resolution preamble is below. Article I, Section 3 is deleted, the exclusive duties of the Senate are shifted to the House, the Vice President becomes "Ceremonial President of Congress," and everything else are just technical language changes. I did actually go through the entire Constitution to see what amendments would be needed. It only took about an hour to create five pages of changes. I didn't post it all here but it wasn't that hard to do. It will need to rise from state legislatures of course since the Congress will never form a Constitutional Convention to put themselves out of work.
RESOLUTION TO AMEND THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
IN ORDER TO
DISSOLVE THE UNITED STATES SENATE
IN ORDER TO FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION:
WHEREAS:
The establishment of a bicameral legislature by the founding fathers of the United States was modeled on archaic assumptions of elite rule; and
WHEREAS:
Other national legislative bodies based on this archaic bicameral system have long since disenfranchised or dissolved "upper houses" of said legislatures in favor of empowering single legislative bodies more directly answerable to the citizens they represent; and
WHEREAS:
The United States Senate has over and over again adopted rules and customary practices empowering individual senators over and above the will of the entire body and the public good through the use of secretive legislative holds, the inordinate power of committee chairmanships and filibusters; and
WHEREAS:
The standing system of funding elections through raising extravagant amounts of money from individuals and groups who donate to senators for the express purpose of exerting pressure on senators to create or resist policy favorable to the donors even if contrary to the public good; and
WHEREAS:
The United States Senate has resisted efforts to create term limits for senators and individual senators have not kept promises to impose term limits on themselves; and
WHEREAS:
The process confirming judicial and other executive appointments has devolved into uncivil ad hominem attacks on the nominees discouraging qualified individuals from agreeing to serve and depriving the nation of their service;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
The United States Senate shall be dissolved and the Constitution of the United States be amended as follows:
[five pages of amendments and it is done]