It has often been written that, at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, a lady asked Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s Founding Fathers, “What have we got, a republic or a monarch?” Reportedly, his response was, “A republic if you can keep it.”
And some “236 years later”—early on and at no more than about 274 words into his 02/07/2023 lies and propaganda packed State Of The Union Address, Joe Biden makes reference to “our democracy.” Yes, the same Biden who has essentially spent his entire adult life feeding off of the taxpayer-funded public treasury—in high profile positions such as U.S. Senator, U.S. Vice President, and now U.S. President—joins the ranks of “countless others” in failing to proudly and responsibly acknowledge that our country is NOT a pure “democracy,” but rather, and purposefully so, a constitutional “republic”!
Yes, it would seem far beyond just worthy of note or somewhat puzzling—but rather at least a bit concerning—that so many among us continue to use the misleading term “our democracy.” Especially those within the ranks of our federal/state/local government, our educational institutions, so-called mainstream media, etc. Especially since there is very sound reason why our United States Pledge of Allegiance refers to our country as a “Republic” and our Declaration of Independence and Constitution DO NOT mention the word “democracy.”
Of course, our country’s founders were very aware of the failures of prior democracies, such as ancient Athens and Rome. They feared creating a government having too many similarities to a pure democracy. They especially recognized the importance of ensuring the right of political dissent and protecting minority groups and individuals from the tyranny of the majority. They knew that a pure democracy could result in mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people could take away the rights of the other forty-nine. And, through their experience, insight, and great wisdom, they put in place a one-of-its-kind constitutional “republic”—not a pure democracy.
In so doing they passed to us a very special form of government where sovereignty [so far] deliberately rests with we the people. Where we may act on our own or through our elected representatives to deal with issues, where our government is (meant to be) a servant of its people—where (it is crucial that) our government’s power comes from and is limited by its citizens.
Of course of our Constitutional Republic does include some likeness to a democracy, such as our use of democratic processes to elect our representatives, pass new laws, etc. However, as opposed to a democracy, our U.S. Constitution limits our government’s power and spells out how our government is to be structured. As a result, our Constitutional Republic is divided into three separate but equal branches of government. The Executive (Presidency), Legislative (Congress), and Judicial (Courts). Our Constitution establishes that no branch has absolute power, therefore providing special checks and balances on our government system and protection for the “rule of law.”
Hence, our U.S. Constitution is the life-blood of our truly unique and ever so precious “Republic”—especially designed to recognize and protect our unalienable (God-given) Rights of Life, Liberty, and pursuit of Happiness. An “individual liberty” safe-haven we must unfailingly protect and preserve. A most crucial responsibility that must begin with our having a fact-based understanding of, and due appreciation for, the true by-design nature and intent of—not “our democracy”—but, rather, “our constitutional republic.”
Yes, our individual liberty protecting “constitutional republic”—that is, if we the people and our elected government representatives at all levels have the wisdom, courage, and “intent” to keep it! As opposed to the historically-proven/predicted and present-day-demonstrated unspeakable human disaster of death and other suffering being unrelentingly marketed by the Marxist-infested radical-left.
Hence, and especially so in a very active “cancel history/culture” atmosphere, the following would seem to be among the questions worthy of a bit of very serious pondering . . . is the widespread failure to be aware of and duly acknowledge our country’s crucial roots mostly a matter of “innocent ignorance” — or, in some cases, of “willful design”?
—William James Moore
= = =
[The above was also included in the Public Mind section on page 4 of the Parsons Sun’s Weekend, Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 11-12, 2023 Edition.]
No comments:
Post a Comment