Smart as Rush is, I’m afraid he is over-thinking things.
The problem is not just with the “American people and the electorate”, it’s with human beings. The fact of the matter is most people everywhere are political followers, always have been and always will be. Additionally, most people everywhere are politically ignorant, again, always have been and always will be. That doesn’t mean stupid, it means politically uninterested, naive and easily demagogued.
The very concept of understanding the “American people and the electorate” is impossible because it is ever changing - rapidly at some points in history.
Democracy of all kinds are messy systems, but still generally better than anything else. Unfortunately democracies, like other systems of governance, don’t last forever. Nothing lasts forever. Perhaps the best we can hope for is as our system eventually implodes, a very charismatic conservative leader or set of leaders (founding father types) are able to captivate the imagination of the masses, perhaps run a benevolent dictatorship for a short time to rewrite the constitution in such a way that federal socialism and judiciary power grabs are made impossible, and then return as quickly as possible back to being a democratic republic. Unfortunately, you never know who or what will motivate the masses - it is just as likely a majority of Americans will fall for the shtick of some radical leftists if/when the economy falls to ruins.
Never forget the “American people and the electorate” voted for FDR four times. FDR was a true socialist, just read his Second Bill of Rights for confirmation of what he really believed.
For now we hold on to what we can, cast ballots against the worst politicians (which will almost always be the Democrat), and push very hard through the primary system to make the GOP, the only other viable party, more conservative. At the same time we must identify skilled, charismatic conservative politicians who actually stand for something and wait for our chance. Times change. As events unfold the best you can do is put your best guys/gals forward and hope to be at the right place at the right time, catch a big wave of public excitement and reshape the landscape with a big push towards conservatism.
For a more reliably lasting democratic republic, my feeling is we need to move away from the concept of universal suffrage. At minimum, if one is living off government handouts they should not be able to vote themselves some more goodies. This concept alone, which would be hugely unpopular at this particular moment in time, might one day be accepted by enough productive people with the means to make it part of any constitutional changes going forward.
He is right that Republicans don’t teach oe have a spine. They are Dem lite at this point.
“For a more reliably lasting democratic republic, my feeling is we need to move away from the concept of universal suffrage.”
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That is so obvious that it is like saying that if you prefer cooler summers and like to snow ski you would do better to move to Boone, NC rather than Fayetteville, NC. Amazingy some people still don’t get it though.