Very true! To say it has been stolen or hijacked does in fact ignore the history of "democracy" in the US. I would add that the whole idea of democracy is also corrupt not just from the point of protecting the interests of the elite, but for its utter unethical nature. It is predicated on competition and thus deepens conflicts of interests. Winner takes all, out of touch representatives, and manipulation of policies and rhetoric merely to gain votes is utterly dysfunctional too.

Consensus? Inclusion? Assembly? not part of the "democratic" idea...