The direct election republicans are not republicans at all, but democrats, and are an echo of a largely forgotten tradition of democratic culture. Botsman views the desire to directly elect the president as a misplaced ambition for a worthy tradition. It seeks to democratise the wrong office. Perhaps we need to look elsewhere for democratising initiatives. You hear remarkably little about the dangers of democracy.
Democracy means majority rule.
Democracy, left to its own devices, empowers majorities to suppress minorities. That democracy has its dark side is not a popular idea with either left of right wing democrats. Of course, left and right democrats are not dreaming of the same people. I now think that, in a stupid, blundering way, I was trying to suggest that there really was another agenda. Here's a few belated thoughts from a slow learner.