The present political moment here seems to establish that a Kantian/Habermasian procedural basis for preserving a republican form of government is insufficient. The external mechanisms (television, etc.) can become the effective mechanisms.
Perhaps the Founders had it right vis a vis the direct election of the Senate. Ironically, the sort of discourse coming from the UK these days about which life peers should sit in the Lords might be informative and useful.
But for the nonce, just try to survive this momentary lapse in republican governance, I suppose.