I would have some anti-Federalist sympathies if I were back in the old days. I’d be a I believe in a democratic republic, and that’s what my party would likely be. Other than that, my thoughts are in line with yours through your whole post, and I also think that the Federalists had some good points, too.
This is the first time I have read this book. I don't know why I never read it before, because I read a lot and used to be an avid reader of adult books until I had children. After my children arrived, I started reading whatever they were reading, so I could discuss the books they were reading with them. Now that they are in middle school and high school, I find that they are now spending a lot of time rereading a lot of the books we have acquired in our family library. Between homework and after school activities they haven't had the time to go to the library or book stores with me much this year, so I am once again finding time to read some books of my choice. My high school age daughter is trying to squeeze in enough time to read AS as well. I won't be surprised if my middle schooler does as well as both my children read a lot and both of them can read extremely well for their ages.
Middle schooler has been studying Greek and Roman history in her social studies class and has recently dusted off my copies the Illiad and the Odyssey to read. Older daughter also read them in middle school, so AS while a longer read is well within their range of reading skills.