No, my point is that in the aggregate, we can send Tea Partiers to congress for the rest of the century without expectation of return to first principles.
IOW, to rely on the virtue alone of those we send to congress to secure liberty is foolish. The framing generation had experience with overly democratic governments which relied on individual virtue, like the one we have today. The failure of these first state governments to secure liberty is the reason Virginia put out a call for a constitutional convention.
The difference is that unlike today, those old white guys learned from their mistakes. Between 1776 and the later 1780’s, they figured out that POWER MUST BE DIVIDED TO SECURE LIBERTY.
The first, and most important division of power recognized by the framers was that between the states and the government created by the states.
This isn’t to say we shouldn’t send moral and virtuous people as best we can to congress. It means it is insufficient if freedom is our goal.
The constitution’s system of pre-17th Amendment checks must be restored
But unless we send principled people, and a truckload of them, there is zero chance of a return to principled governance. Ever.
There is nothing you’ve said that a conservative thinker should disagree with.
Agreed!