Democracy versus Constitutional Republic

[Patricia M. McBride]

As all of us know, we are not a democracy (even though we use a democratic system to elect our representatives), but yesterday during a city council meeting, the hairs on the back of my neck went up when Councilman Warren Jones called us a democracy a couple of times in the context of his argument in favor of bill 2012-296. At any rate, it never hurts to post a contrast to these 2 very distinct types of governments, and as we all know the founders did not form a democracy because they DO NOT LAST and basically are the WORST form of government there is (kind of like having a football game but with no rules period..........imagine). Our country is a constitutional republic, and we should all get very angry when any representative tries to ignor the constitution by calling us a democracy..............I expect them to know better given the positions they hold!

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Democracy versus Constitutional Republic

Most of you may already know this but I wanted to post this to make a point of why it is so important for us to elect a head of state……………..that is a Constitutionalist first and foremost…………………..

One of my pet peeves is how the word  democracy has crept to the forefront when referring to the form of government this country is suppose to represent when the actual form of government of the United States is a Constitutional Republic.

A pure Democracy is nothing more than mob rule with no provisions for the rights of the individual. The Founding Fathers saw this as one of the worst forms of government and in their wisdom provided a framework to secure the rights of the individual, ie., a Constitution and a Bill of Rights with separation of powers subject to Judicial Review which is the Rule of Law we live under.

True that we do elect our head of state and representatives by a Democratic system, ie., majority popular vote. (Although with the Electoral College and the Florida debacle that’s even in question), but that aside, once our head of state and representatives are elected democratically they are bound by their oath of office to uphold, obey and defend the Constitution, so help them God thus a Constitutional Republic.

A constitutional republic is a state where the head of state and other officials are elected as representatives of the people and must govern according to existing constitutional law that limits the government's power over citizens. In a constitutional republic, executive, legislative, and judicial powers are separated into distinct branches and the will of the majority of the population is checked by protections for individual rights so that no individual or group has absolute power. The fact that a constitution exists that limits the government's power, makes the state constitutional. That the head(s) of state and other officials are chosen by election, rather than inheriting their positions, and that their decisions are subject to judicial review makes a state republican.

Unlike a pure democracy, in a constitutional republic, citizens are not governed by the majority of the people but by the rule of law.  Constitutional Republics are a deliberate attempt to hold in check the threat of mobocracy thereby protecting dissenting individuals from the tyranny of the majority by placing checks on the power of the majority of the population. The power of the majority of the people is checked by limiting that power to electing representatives who govern within limits of overarching constitutional law rather than the popular vote having legislative power itself. John Adams defined a constitutional republic as "a government of laws, and not of men."Also, the power of government officials is checked by allowing no single individual to hold executive, legislative and judicial powers. Instead these powers are separated into distinct branches that serve as a check and balance on each other. A constitutional republic is designed so that "no person or group [can] rise to absolute power."
The original framers of the United States Constitution were notably cognizant of what they perceived as a danger of majority rule in oppressing freedom and liberty of the individual. For example, James Madison, in Federalist Paper No. 10, advocates a constitutional republic over a democracy to protect the individual from the majority. The framers carefully created the institutions within the Constitution and the United States Bill of Rights. They kept what they believed were the best elements of majority rule. But they were mitigated by a constitution with protections for individual liberty, a separation of powers.

The above was taken from the Ron Paul web site, and I want to thank him for providing such a great explanation.

Blogger post:

In searching for this on the 'net:

"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin, 1759

Democracy: Two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.

Representative democracy: Two thousand wolves and one thousand sheep electing two wolves and a sheep who vote on what to have for dinner.

Constitutional republic: Two thousand wolves and one thousand sheep electing two wolves and a sheep who vote on what to have for dinner, but are restricted by a Constitution that says they cannot eat sheep. The Supreme Court then votes 5 wolves to 4 sheep that mutton does not count as sheep.

Liberty: Well-armed sheep contesting the above votes.

I found them, of all things, on a website that discourages voting.
http://www.insolitology.com/simplyanarchy/donotvote/pb/wp_b0...

[Patricia M. McBride]

Roma, the thing is gays are not the only group impacted by unfair treatment.  They just aren't that special.  Many others are impacted too, so I am having a hard time feeling a lot of sympathy for gays when other groups are also unfairly treated.  It's kind of a join the club situation!

 

[Patricia M. McBride]

[Patricia M. McBride]

You are right John. Many times when someone posts something we know isn't true or factual, it drives us to find the documentation that it isn't factual, and that is a good thing! Thank you for injecting that point as it is a good one. And thank you for more info Roma...................you and John have done a wonderful job hunting up information on this issue (factual information)!

[Patricia M. McBride]

Amanda, it might be best in the future to give us your opinion only and not speak for others.  I have no idea how Roma feels about John, but I suspect she doesn't think he is "stupid".  Certainly everyone has a right to an opinion, but it should be THEIR opinion period.  John is a fine person and a patriot.  I also guess I wonder what is meant by "No worries," ..............no worries about what ??????

[amanda choate]

Maxine, When the facts get in the way of John's beliefs he just posts stupid stuff that makes no sense or attacks the writer. No worries, everyone here but Patricia thinks he is an idiot.

[Patricia M. McBride]

The federal government won the arguments about speed limits and seat belts by threatening to withhold federal highway funds..............how do we allow something like this?  This is what happens time and again when the federal government claims a program because it crosses state lines (which of course the commerce clause was never really meant for to start with).  The supreme court let them do this, and until and unless they re-examine some cases and find them to be unconstitutional and force the feds back into the box or we vote folks into office (and get rid of pretty much every one of these fools in Washington now), it is not going to stop.  I was horribly disappointed that Romeny now thinks he can avoid permission from the congress to start a war, because Obama did.  Don't get me wrong, he is so much better than Obama, it would be a relief, but I had hopes we would get a president who actually stayed true to the oath he takes.  I don't want the violations to our constitution to make the next guy feel he can do the same thing.............that will be the downfall of our constitution!

John, great stuff.  Thanks for taking the time to find it all!  I had understood many of the founders were men of religion, and all of them were very well educated (much better than what we are giving the children of today in our government indoctrination centers).

[Patricia M. McBride]

Wow, Roma, we seem to have hit on one of your fields of expertise.  Thank you for all the info, and it would be hard for me to believe someone would not be inspired and fight like no body's business to keep our republic and toss these overbearing idiots in Washington by the way side (to be replaced by folks who understand they take an oath to uphold and protect the constitution) with the information you have provided!   Other issues seem rather insignificant in light of the mess our country is in right now, and having a president who is willing to use any group and do any thing he can to be as divisive as possible to get his way and destroy this country......ignoring the constituion, killing hundreds of thousands of unborn babies, ruining everyone savings and net worth (down 40% since he took office, regulations that are killing the free market and jobs right along with it, planning on killing off the elderly with his death panels and draconian health care bill, pushing racist ideals instead of the ideals our country was founded on of equality for all regardless of race, creed or national origin (not special rights or privileges but equal rights and privileges), telling all of us what to do and when to do it and stealing our money to waste on one project after another and give to his friends and live high off the hog and on and on.........................  Thank you again, Roma.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Roma, you have truly outdone yourself!  Thanks.....................

[Maxine Jessica Roberts]

That is not how you debate John. I gave you evidence from founding fathers, early presidents, and even a signed treaty from our nation. (The on mentioned in the anthem for the marines if you didn't know.) 

You have shown us nothing.

[Patricia M. McBride]

Amanda, of course we vote on local referendums, and you know full well what is
meant by constraining a government by the constitution.  It is clearly evident when we get a tyrant, like Obama who thinks he is the law and can run our country without input from the people's representatives in the congress. There is a huge difference by voting dog laws in and voting someone's religious rights and freedom of speech away, since the country was founded on religious freedom and people escaped from religious tyranny to come here and many fought and died for it.  This is the same religious tyranny that a small minority of our population would impose on us now if they could just eliminate the constitution and force their beliefs on everyone. Right now, there is religious persecution of Catholics by a tyrant president, and only the constitution protects us from the results of a group who would remove that right from the 75 to 80% of Christians in this country. I might also say that I learned from someone a quite a while back, that information can be
found to support any stand one might take. Then, one should look very carefully
at how reliable the source of the argument is and the ideology of the person who
documents that stance (to be sure they haven't artfully edited the actual intent of a person being quoted or a stance being supported........as the press has done a few times of late by editing comments and videos)! Things can be cut here and there making it look like a consensus when it is far from that and in many cases does not actually support the actual stand of the person at all. All of our founders were men of God and many were pastors, so it is doubtful they would not consider religion to be an important of who we are as a people and many link the continuation of our country with religious beliefs and morality.  It is those 2 things that must be destroyed to destroy our country, and certainly, we have people right now who would do that.  And there in lies the importance of a constitutional republic and the document our founders provided us to keep us safe from the enemies of freedom.