sen. feingold's 28th amend. idea picks up some steam

NYT reports on the proposal by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) to amend the U.S. Constitution to require the direct election of Senators to vacancies, in response to the filling of the seats vacated by Pres. Obama (IL), Vice Pres. Biden (DE), Secretary of State Clinton (NY), and Secretary of the Interior Salazar (CO).

Russ is no longer alone on this, now with strong support from Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and John McCain (R-AZ), and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI). Durbin is Senate Majority Whip, and Conyers is Chair of the House Judiciary Committee. McCain, of course, has collaborated with Feingold on election reform before in the form of the McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act.