That's the one, Dively. Thanks.
"Just more that modern politicians, and many voters, are happy to, where they can, go straight to "mob rule majority voting" to win "today" and screw tomorrow."
OK, now I get what you're saying.
But, I hate to tell you... it's no different today than it was in 1797, 1807, or whenever.
We like to think of the Framers and their direct successors as altruistic marble godhead ascetics who thought only of the greater common good and nothing of themselves.
Yeah.... no.
They were humans. And quite frankly, they were often complete and total aholes without a shred of compunction about trying to get what they wanted, Constitutional or not.
Case in point, the Alien and Sedition Acts. John Adams, one of the Constitution's biggest proponents, was one of the Alien and Sedition Act's biggest proponents. And so was George Washington.
Then we have Mr. Thomas "Small Government with strictly limited powers is BEST Government" Jefferson...
"Wait, the French want to sell Louisiana to us? HOLY *expletive deleted*ck I WANT IT I WANT IT I WANT IT *expletive deleted*ck THE CONSTITUTION I WANT IT!!!!"