There are a lot of buzz words that people use when it comes to politicians these days.
Socialist. Fascist. These two are probably at the top of the list.
Thing is – most people use these words in the wrong way. Most notably using these two words are those on the “right” declaring that those on the “left” are socialists or communists who are only out there to strip the people and the country of all that is right and good and lead us down a pathway towards Stalin or Hitler.
What we need, we’re told is good ole American Democracy that only the Republicans can give.
Again, these words are used in much of the wrong way: democracy. It’s filled with pride that many believe that we are a democracy. But, the founders didn’t want one. They didn’t envision one. And they didn’t establish one.
Let’s take a closer look.
A democracy is quite simply majority rules. The most classical example of one would be a lynch mob. Regardless of what the person at the end of the rope says or feels – if the majority of the people say “Hang him!”….he’s going to die.
Nobody in politics wants a democracy. Nobody. Not Republicans. Not Democrats. And certainly not all of the Washington insiders and lobbyists who are making billions off of the system.
:: the founders republic
What did the founders establish, you ask? “To the republic, for which it stands” – from the pledge of allegiance to the constitution, what you find is a republic. The difference between a republic and a democracy is that those rights deemed granted to all (life, liberty, etc) cannot be stripped away – even by the majority (makes you wonder about the death penalty doesn’t it?)
The founders looked at current and past models of government, and selected not the democracy of Greece, nor the autocracy of most of Europe, but a republican form. By creating a “great compromise” – the founders fought to limit the role of government, establish rights, and have a select few people actually vote and control the powers that control the country.
It took a long struggle for everyone to be able to vote. Until the 1960’s, most African American’s couldn’t. Arizona and Maine prevented American Indians from voting. Prior to 1920, woman’s voting rights were very limited, and often denied. Before the Civil War, almost no African Americans could vote. In the 1820’s even most white guys couldn’t vote. Only those who could meet certain requirements (money, property) – because only these were seen as having the smarts to make decisions for the masses.
For the first couple of decades after the constitutions ratification, some states even restricted voting rights baed on religious affiliation.
Then, like today, even those who can vote, can’t vote for much. Back then, the only federal office that was voted in by the people was the House of Representatives. The Senate was chosen by state legislatures. Of course, then and now, the President isn’t directly selected by the people. Federal judges are appointed.
That’s a lot of negative talk about what they created; but it certainly wasn’t all negative. They limited federal government. They established numerous rights of individuals that couldn’t be withdrawn – even if the majority of the people said otherwise. They created a three branch system (legislative, judicial, and executive) that created by nature balance in power.
:: today’s republic
We still have, for the most part, a republic. It’s a representative democracy where a select few make decisions for the masses. What’s ironic is that the one party who claims to want to restrict the federal government has given more power to the feds than you can shake a stick at. Of course, this came at a time after a horrible atrocity in 2001. Then, President Bush, expanded the powers that touched everyone. From air travel to monitoring phones, investigations, to huge bailouts, the fed’s stuck their noses into nearly every aspect of everyday life.
And for the most part – it was welcomed…at the time.
Even today, we see further deviation from the Republican Party against a republic as candidates want to do things like, increase patrolling into “Islamic neighborhoods” (sounds gestapo like, doesn’t it), and increase the use of torture.
All the while, saying that the liberals are trying to move us towards a “socialist/communist/fascist” State.
What’s interesting is that most of what the Democrat side proposes affirms and expands the rights of people. Of course, that also means increasing the injection of the federal government into everyones lives too.
What’s most ironic is of course, the fact that through our representative democracy, changes happen. These changes happen because the representatives of the majority of the people voted for them to happen. When those changes aren’t what the minority wanted – they scream and yell about how the system isn’t working – even though it is…just not how they wanted it to.
And that’s how a democracy works – if 51% say this is how it’s going to be, and 49% say no, well, it goes to the winner.
stoker 