You know, simply put, there needs to be an adverse consequence for politicians who

[wnylib]

53. I agree with you about the qualities

of leadership and that today's Republicans lack them.

But, the nation's founders did anticipate the possibility of demagogues trying to take control of the government and a establish a dictatorship. It's why Franklin answered, when asked what form of government we had "A republic, if you can keep it." It's why the writers of the constitution established an electoral college, in the hope and belief that "upstanding citizens" would choose better than the masses of common people. They could not anticipate 200+ years in advance that the electoral college itself would become a tool of demagogues, or that automated machines would enter into elections.

The founders very much feared the damage that populists could do and tried to put safeguards into the constitution. The electoral college is outmoded and detrimental to maintaining the republic now and should be abolished. Since that requires a constitutional amendment, it's an uphill battle to do it.