You make several good points, particularly about our founding fathers. However, please understand I'm not by myself making the point that democracy has broken down. Instead, I'm citing international organizations whose business it is to evaluate democracy across a broad range of elements and, on the basis of that evaluation, until recently did label the U.S. as democratic and now no longer do. One thing I do disagree with you about, however. I don't think that voters are idiots. Some are. Many others are just listening to Fox News and are either mislead by the word "news" in this organization that is licensed as entertainment, not news; or are busy with trying to succeed in a culture that is more against them than for them and simply don't have time to vote in their own best interests.