What defines us?
The United States was formed as a Constitutional Republic. This is a form of government known for its stability. A Republic is a nation where citizens choose the leader and have a voice. A Constitution is a set of principles that guide the Republic and cannot be changed merely by the will of the majority.
The concept rests on two principles:
1. People have the right to choose who will represent them in government.
2. People living in different areas have a voice ("the land has a vote").
The majority may want one thing, but if enough areas do not want that thing, it may not become a law of the land.
This was expressed in the makeup of the Congress, where the House of Representatives represented the people, chosen by majority vote, and the Senate represented the State governments, which often had a different agenda than the majority of individuals.
In 1913, the 17th Amendment to the Constitution took away the right of States to appoint Senators and gave it to the majority. While a logical problem for a Republic, we still had the Constitution to protect minorities.
In recent years, the Constitution has come under attack. It has become progressively viewed as a dated document that should not impede the will of the people.
If the Constitution is devalued, we will be left with a democracy, where the people's representatives will decide based upon the whims of the majority. These whims can be manipulated by the press and by thought leaders. Further, the whims can be manipulated by adjusting self interest. The most common example is giving stuff to people. If I give a Senator $10,000 and she takes it and spends it on herself and her family, and I promise her more if she plays my game and less if she doesn't, it might be considered a bribe. If the government gives me $10,000 and promises more if I vote for majority representatives and threatens less if I vote for the minority, this is considered political strategy.
I think we have moved too far towards a democracy and see problems in our future. Hopefully, I am wrong.
The concept rests on two principles:
1. People have the right to choose who will represent them in government.
2. People living in different areas have a voice ("the land has a vote").
The majority may want one thing, but if enough areas do not want that thing, it may not become a law of the land.
This was expressed in the makeup of the Congress, where the House of Representatives represented the people, chosen by majority vote, and the Senate represented the State governments, which often had a different agenda than the majority of individuals.
In 1913, the 17th Amendment to the Constitution took away the right of States to appoint Senators and gave it to the majority. While a logical problem for a Republic, we still had the Constitution to protect minorities.
In recent years, the Constitution has come under attack. It has become progressively viewed as a dated document that should not impede the will of the people.
If the Constitution is devalued, we will be left with a democracy, where the people's representatives will decide based upon the whims of the majority. These whims can be manipulated by the press and by thought leaders. Further, the whims can be manipulated by adjusting self interest. The most common example is giving stuff to people. If I give a Senator $10,000 and she takes it and spends it on herself and her family, and I promise her more if she plays my game and less if she doesn't, it might be considered a bribe. If the government gives me $10,000 and promises more if I vote for majority representatives and threatens less if I vote for the minority, this is considered political strategy.
I think we have moved too far towards a democracy and see problems in our future. Hopefully, I am wrong.
posted by DocBrain at
4:23 AM
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