No. of Recommendations: 3
“This process of election affords a moral certainty that the office of President will seldom fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications.”
Alexander Hamilton
Well, he did say 'seldom'. But no way could he have imagined the system failing THIS badly.
Yes he could. They were familiar with demagogues, and at that time, only landed men (and NJ women) could vote, though it varied by state. They'd seen and read about Trumps and could count on only a few voting for them. But we let everyone vote now, as it should be (in spite of voter suppression, etc.,) What has been brought home to me is how much our system depends on norms which are easily bypassed. So we sit, watching a loaded pistol pointed at out western order, and it's likely to go off.