You are correct that this is how a democracy or republic fails. But in the case of the US, it is also the result of adopting the Euro/communist principle that all humans are basically good, and it’s their environment that corrupts them. This goes back at least the that French guy, Rousseau, in the 1700s and it is the basis of all socialism and communism. Think of Lenin and Stalin’s concept of “the new Soviet man.”
The Judeo-Christian principle of Original Sin is the basis of our Constitution and is what everyone used to be taught in church. (Or, as my father told me, “Son, just remember, your fellow man is no d-mn good.”)
There is no hope for a country where the vast majority of people believe a falsehood about the very basic nature of humanity. Such a country simply cannot be virtuous, in the words of Franklin.
you know, I could never articulate what you just wrote, but now I will just steal from you :)
Men aren’t all inherently good and I forgot that original sin was the argument to be made for that point.
Also, if all humans are basically good, what is this “environment” they speak of? some kind of entity on tis own? doesn’t make sense.