"Is the inherent rationality of Americans still intact?"
Many people with a mental illness will refuse good help because they don't believe they have a mental illness. From what I have observed, nations are not that much different.
Since 2009, I've had the third version of "Tiered Democratic Governance" available for a free read. I spent a lot of money on Google ads and time on political forums trying to get people to this website.
"Tiered Democratic Governance" is an alternative democracy. While I fully believe it will work, nobody really wants to investigate it, let alone try to make it work. With American democracy sliding, why not take a look? No, don't look!
That is a sign of a national mental illness.