You got it right as I see it, and I'm not even an American citizen. Thing is, separating the components is sounding like an external entity will have to do this

You got it right as I see it, and I'm not even an American citizen. Thing is, separating the components is sounding like an external entity will have to do this. I don't see it happening; not by the citizens who decide to take a new direction en masse, and also not by govt oversight or so on. Was wondering if you had thoughts related to this which you can elaborate on. To me it feels like a stalemate: no real democracy, just status quo maintenance. (Tangential: I'm really bummed out with how the Dutch govt has chosen to entirely ignore the outcome of the last Dutch referendum held on the 13th of April, 2016, which was about the EU's association treaty with Ukraine. Significantly voted against by citizens, Dutch govt and all other eu member states, all chose to entirely ignore the outcome - while to this day they choose words extremely careful to make it seem differently. Democracy, over here, has died to protect the status quo.)