That is why originally the U.S. was set up as a constitutional republic, but has slowly been perverted into a popular democracy where the immediate gratification of the electorate determines policy.
Exactly
So IMO, the mindset of the electorate needs to be changed first. If the current mindset continues amongst the population we could end up going full Pinochet
Getting national convention and state legislatures to repeal the 16th, 17th, 19th, and 24th amendments would be a good start.