The problem is: we're not a 'model' of a republic. We've set aside many of those values in favor of a different and incompatible set, some democratic and many

The problem is: we're not a 'model' of a republic. We've set aside many of those values in favor of a different and incompatible set, some democratic and many authoritarian. We have professional police, slavery dressed up as prisons, fiat currency, income taxes, a standing army, no meaningful access to trial by jury for most people in most situations, closed borders, rampant eminent domain to build freeways... it's hard to recognize this state as any serious resemblance to a properly functioning republic. But I think your overall point, and suggestions, are basically sound and, hopefully, the kind of direction we'll take increasingly seriously as our current state falters.