Reply #7: Ultimately, the Founders gave us the ability to right the ship

[MannyGoldstein]

They knew we'd fuck it up over time. Here's what Ben Franklin said in his closing address at the Constitutional Convention (emphasis mine):

"In these sentiments, sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, - if they are such, - because I think a general government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."

They gave The People the right to vote, and set up checks and balances to keep the vote from being taken from us for as long as possible - so that when we did screw things up, we'd have the chance to fix it without bloodshed if we finally got smart. Walker and the Kochs have made us a little smarter.