Regressives (they call themselves “Progressives”) have long opposed the system of limited government established by the drafters of the Constitution. As one example, the Seventeenth Amendment, which established direct elections of United States Senators, was ratified in 1913 at the height of the first “Progressive” movement. Prior to that time, Senators were selected by each state’s legislature. More recently, Regressives have been calling for an end to the Electoral College. Instead, the President would be elected by a nationwide popular vote. The goal of both the Seventeenth Amendment and the elimination of the Electoral College is greater democracy—unlimited majority rule.
The Founding Fathers understood the dangers of unlimited majority rule. They understood that the majority could and would impose its values on the minority. They had witnessed this in colonial America, where many of the colonies barred certain religions and forced taxpayers to support the state’s preferred religious sect. They sought to establish a system in which the powers of government were limited. They sought a system in which the rights of individuals were protected from both the government and the passions of the majority.
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