The idea was to create a system of government where different political candidates of different political persuasions got their message across to the people all of whom could vote, except for women and slaves. After elections the side that got the most votes would form a government. That was the idea. In practice there were safeguards which would protect the land owning classes, naturally since these men were landowners and slave owners and wanted to preserve a system that benefited them. All perfectly reasonable. To ensure the system was safe, they constructed the Senate in such a way that an undemocratic minority could control it or at least slow down the implementation of laws which the property owning classes did not like. More importantly the states controlled who got to vote. In case this didn't work the Electoral College was the final safeguard. So here we are. We have an elected government with a large majority trying to govern with its hands tied behind its back obstructed by a totally undemocratic Senate who represent the minority. Nothing gets done and no laws can be passed and we continue to fester in a noisy pool of self-interest and inaction.