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Originally Posted by albionmoonlight
No amount of guardrails will work when we keep electing horrible people.
The system depends on a base level of norms and integrity by the people running it.
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This. One of my favorite historical quotes is by Sir Edmund Burke, occasions for it come up every now and then. Short version:
"It is ordained in the eternal constitution of things that men of intemperate minds cannot be free. Their passions forge their fetters."
In other words, government by the people depends on the people making generally good decisions, including about who their representatives will be. An increasing number of people are unqualified for the amount of power and freedom they possess. If that trend continues, democracy won't last even if there isn't a major party actively attacking it.