Well written, David. I came to this same conclusion many years ago. But you have explained it much better than I could.
Trying to effect changes within the confines of the American constitution is almost pointless. Same goes for other democracies. Constitutions are too rigid and populations are too distracted to move democracy forward in any meaningly way.
As an inventor of an alternative democracy, I had to figure how to get around this HERE to THERE problem. My solution was for the new democracy to build itself up outside the current system. This means rather than lobbying for the current system to change, the early TDG builders would just build their system, then offer that system in the future. Sort of like a mirror government.
As time passes, the TDG would improve its functioning, and the current system would crumble. The population would regard the TDG as more credible than the political parties, and there would a natural and orderly transfer of power.
I have outlined this in more detail in Chapter 6 of my book (off Medium link):
