Well, first, the 9 elders only have input insofar as the meaning of the constitution is disputable; they don't get to decide whether the general idea of freedom of speech is a good thing day-by-day like the UK parliament does. But more to your point, that the US constitution leads to rules being created by small group far removed from the election mechanism: yes, that is exactly the point. The authors of the constitution were quite deliberate in their choice to insulate several parts of the government from the whims of the people.