Point is, whatever option is agreeable wouldn’t require the kind of build out to get us here-wiring up the internet, researching and scaling smartphone tech, etc. direct democracy seems like a pretty obvious max for logistical problems to governance and modern tech would make it possible. So anything below it possible too.

They have direct democracy in Switzerland and they don't need the internet for that.

> Popular votes can be held up to four times a year.

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/07/switzerland-direct-de...

At some point you need technology, otherwise it would just get too expensive.

Many states in the USA have had ballot propositions for over one hundred years.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Initiatives_and_referendums_...

Yes but not once every 4 months. People keeping a check on the actions of their representatives needs to happen more than once per election cycle otherwise once the politician gets in they just do whatever they want.