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Republic Or A Democracy

Doug Huffman

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Kelly J wrote:
[font="ARIAL, SANS SERIF"]By Mark Wilson[/font]
[font="ARIAL, SANS SERIF"]Editor In Chief[/font][font="ARIAL, SANS SERIF"]
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We often hear the claim that our nation is a democracy and I suppose we will hear it even more as the political machine begins to churn in the next few months. However, that wasn't the vision of our founders. They saw democracy as another form of tyranny. If we've become a democracy, I guarantee you that the founders would be deeply disappointed by our betrayal of their vision. The founders intended, and laid out the ground rules, for our nation to be a republic.

The word "democracy" appears nowhere in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution - two most fundamental documents of our nation. Instead of a democracy, the Constitution's Article IV, Section 4, guarantees "to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government." Moreover, let's ask ourselves: Does our pledge of allegiance to the flag say to "the democracy for which it stands," or does it say to "the republic for which it stands"? Or do we sing "The Battle Hymn of the Democracy" or "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"?

So what's the difference between republican and democratic forms of government? John Adams captured the essence of the difference when he said, "You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; rights derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe." Nothing in our Constitution suggests that government is a grantor of rights. Instead, government is a protector of rights.

In recognition that it's Congress that poses the greatest threat to our liberties, the framers used negative phrases against Congress throughout the Constitution such as: shall not abridge, infringe, deny, disparage, and shall not be violated, nor be denied. In a republican form of government, there is rule of law. All citizens, including government officials, are accountable to the same laws. Government power is limited and decentralized through a system of checks and balances.

Contrast the framers' vision of a republic with that of a democracy. In a democracy, the majority rules either directly or through its elected representatives. As in a monarchy, the law is whatever the government determines it to be. Laws do not represent reason. They represent power. The restraint is upon the individual instead of government. Unlike that envisioned under a republican form of government, rights are seen as privileges and permissions that are granted by government and can be rescinded by government. A Republic recognizes the inalienable rights of individuals while democracies are only concerned with group wants or needs (the public good).

Democracies always self-destruct when the non-productive majority realizes that it can vote itself handouts from the productive minority by electing the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury. To maintain their power, these candidates must adopt an ever-increasing tax and spend policy to satisfy the ever-increasing desires of the majority. As taxes increase, incentive to produce decreases, causing many of the once productive to drop out and join the non-productive. When there are no longer enough producers to fund the legitimate functions of government and the socialist programs, the democracy will collapse, always to be followed by a Dictatorship. Let us not forget the American dream depends on keeping alive the spirit of liberty.

The following are a few quotations demonstrating the disdain our founders held for democracy:

James Madison, Federalist Paper No. 10: In a pure democracy, "there is nothing to check the inducement to sacrifice the weaker party or the obnoxious individual."

At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, Edmund Randolph said, " ... that in tracing these evils to their origin every man had found it in the turbulence and follies of democracy." John Adams said, "Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There was never a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."

"A wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little virtue in the action of masses of men." Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)

Chief Justice John Marshall observed, "Between a balanced republic and a democracy, the difference is like that between order and chaos."

At the close of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on September 18, 1787, a Mrs. Powel anxiously awaited the results, and as Benjamin Franklin emerged from the long task now finished, asked him directly: "Well Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" "A republic if you can keep it" responded Franklin. Not only have we failed to keep it, most don't even know what it is. UNTIL NOW.
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[font="ARIAL, SANS SERIF"]I say, "Democracy is the rule of fools by fools. Let us not be any greater fools than needs be. Thanks Kelly.

There are none so blind as those who will not see - to read. We have to make it easy for them, spoon feed their pablum.

Either we are equal or we are not. Good people ought to be armed where they will, with wits and guns and the truth. LAB/NRA/GOP KMA$$
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color of law

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On June 14 (Flag Day), 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower approved adding the words "under God" to The Pledge of Allegiance. As he authorized this change he said:

"In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."

The Pledge of Allegiance

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for all.”

The only rights you have are the rights you are willing to fight for.

The Bill of Rights was notice to the national government that their (the government) power is limited. In other words, government - hands off man’s GOD given rights. Those rights endowed by their creator.

A republic or republican form of government is that the majority rules. But, the majority cannot infringe on the citizens GOD given rights under a republican form of government. A democracy is majority rule for the majorities benefit and be damned the citizens personal rights.

Most laws are feel good laws. I feel good that there is a law that law-abiding citizens can’t carry firearms concealed without a license. Don’t you feel good? With such law on the books we now know bad guys can’t conceal carry.

These kinds of laws infringe on the fundamental rights of each and every citizen.

So when you thing you live in a Republic, think again, you don’t.
 

Doug Huffman

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Location
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color of law wrote:
A republic or republican form of government is that the majority rules. But, the majority cannot infringe on the citizens GOD given rights under a republican form of government. A democracy is majority rule for the majorities benefit and be damned the citizens personal rights.
A republican form of government (is then) the rule of law, otherwise it can't be differentiated from a democracy. Look to the roots of the work 'democracy.' Demos is the Greek root synonymous with the Latin 'vulgar' and English 'common'.

I don't think you want rule by the common denominator, that is greed.

Either we are equal or we are not. Good people ought to be armed where they will, with wits and guns and the truth. LAB/NRA/GOP KMA$$
 

Kelly J

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Feb 8, 2007
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Blue Springs, Missouri, United States
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Thundar,The only change I would support of the 17th Amendment, is I would place a two term limit on the office, and make it an automatic dismissal of office, for violating the office oath, or any part of the Constitution.

This should have been a quote but I hit the wrong button.
 
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