I like the article very much, it puts into worlds something that I have notice in my own small world.  I have friends who absolutely expect and want a president to have the sole authority to govern.    And Rampell is right, what they really want is a President who wants what they want and can overcome their own powerless status.

Then we have the illusion of a democratic process.   Low voter turnout rewards the active minority, not a majority.  For instance calling for a public meeting and getting 30 passionate people to show has the illusion of a democratic process, but do they represent a majority opinion?   Is activism the key, not democracy?

I hope Rampell writes more along this line.  A conversation on what democracy means, or should mean, in today's America/ Eugene would be interesting.