Why did the makers of the Constitution provide "Filters" between the voters and the U.S. Senate and the presidency?
The French revolution convinced many that the masses sometimes got out of hand, so in the Constitution, the States Legislatures chose the senators, and the electorial college elected the president. To answer your question, I think many of the framers distrusted voters directly making all the choices directly.
Great answer. It makes sense.
Except for the fact that the Constitution was written in 1787 and the French Revolution commenced in 1789. The reason they didn't want the masses voting is that the framers felt the masses couldn't be trusted due to a lack of education, and that they could run amock. Shay's Rebellion was the reason that many framers of the Constiution didn't feel the masses could be trusted, not the French Revolution.
Obviously the government feels that a mere citizen do have the ability to vote for a president.
Thank you for catching that mistake. You are absolutely correct. The French Revolution took place after the Constitution was written, so it couldn't have influenced the framers' decision to provide filters between the voters and the U.S. Senate and the presidency. My apologies for the confusion.
The actual reason why the framers included these filters was because they were concerned about the potential dangers of direct democracy. They believed that direct voting by the masses could lead to unstable or unwise decision-making, as they were worried about the impact of temporary passions and uninformed choices. They were particularly influenced by events like Shay's Rebellion, where a group of farmers in Massachusetts rebelled against high taxes and debt.
To address these concerns, they incorporated several mechanisms to distance the voters from directly electing the Senate and the President. For example, the Constitution originally allowed state legislatures to choose their senators, rather than the people directly electing them. And the President is not elected directly by the popular vote but by an Electoral College, which consists of electors chosen by each state.
The framers hoped that these filters would provide a more deliberative and informed decision-making process, allowing for a balance of power and a check against potential mob rule. However, it is important to note that over time, some of these mechanisms have been modified or their significance has evolved, as amendments and changes to electoral procedures have occurred.
I hope this clears up any confusion! Let me know if there's anything else you'd like to know.