[1010RD]

Great stuff and what a window on the very real challenges our Founders faced. Madison’s anxiety is palpable. It could have gone either way and God’s hand saw that it didn’t.

On a side note as regards our modern education system: sexennially - how many school children will read that and think ‘condom’ as opposed to ‘six’?

[Jacquerie]

It certainly could have gone either way and almost did. IIRC, the difference between vote totals in the State ratification conventions for, and against ratification was less than 20 among several hundred votes cast.

Sexennially, and sex, you're probably right. And with that, they could add, “dirty” to the statist moniker of dead white men.