Madison's mistake

[Recursion]

Madison, Hamilton, and Jay predicted this President. They just didn't predict this Congress.

In particular (and this was Madison's hobby-horse) they always assumed there would be an ambitious coterie of Senators ready to cast down a problematic President at the first provocation to further their own careers. In fact, Madison expressed some concern that impeachment would be overused to further individual politicians' careers.

Madison never imagined a Senate full of politicians who could take down the President and take power in his place, and would simply refuse to.

Sloth. It is to us what pride was to the Romans, wrath to the Medievals, and lust to the Puritans.

And there's something deliciously ironic about a Republic falling because of a lack of personal ambition on the part of its politicians.

[MaryMagdaline]

1. Good point, Recursion!

[manor321]

2. I suppose

But this was before parties. They had hoped parties would not form.

They were trying to create a democracy on a scale never attempted before, among a vastly heterogeneous population.

[WhiteTara]

3. They don't care about government or governing

they are amassing fortunes and when they have "enough" they'll go off and play golf with the Kochs while their government lackeys enact their laws.

[brush]

5. That's exactly what Kelly and Mattis are doing. Both already have military pensions...

and as long as they keep propping up this sham of an admin. they keep double dipping with their Gov. check adding to their military pension.

It might not be what trump is racking up with his violations of the emoluments rule but to them it's all gravy. The size of the fortunes are relative.

[WhiteTara]

6. Book deals, tv slots

private contacts, deals with the hoi poloi

[brush]

7. Yeah, that's all to come if they move fast enough. If they go down with the ship...

they'll be forever tainted. What are they waiting for?

Oh yeah, those double-dip cones are nice.

[MousePlayingDaffodil]

4. The Senate that Madison imagined . . .

. . . would be comprised of Senators chosen by the legislatures of the several states, not directly elected by the people of the states.

That was the system that Madison and the other Framers established.

[roamer65]

8. That is very true.

[TryLogic]

9. What about a political party (think Republican, obviously) that should itself be designated

as an unindicted coconspirator?

[bucolic_frolic]

10. It's called party discipline and loyalty

because the campaign slush is tasty good and they are sworn to silence.

[JHB]

11. The sin here isn't sloth, it's greed, avarice

A lust for wealth and power, and abandoning everything else in order to obtain them.

[malaise]

12. By any means necessary and from anywhere on the planet

You nailed it