There was a singular moment in 2015-16 where Bernie Sanders could have been the Democrat Elect instead of Clinton. He was sabotaged, and along that, so was democracy in the US, as it opened the gates for Trump and all that ensued afterwards.
The future (and present) in the US is oligarchy, not a democratic republic. It's just that now it's going to be completely in the open, and legally elected for it. The dream is dead.