It amazes me how few people even know what type of government we have in the United States of America. We are NOT a democracy. We are(were) a Representative Constitutional Republic. Representative means that we elect representatives instead of all of us voting on whatever the issues of the day are. Constitutional means that the federal government is (supposed to be) limited by the Constitution in what areas it can control. Republic means that the rule of law is more important that majority vote so that the rights of minorities are protected.
This months Readers Digest has an article titled "Democracy Undone" about how our voting systems are not true democracy. Amazingly enough the author quotes Benjamin Franklin being asked what form of government the founders had given us. He reportedly said "A republic if you can keep it". This author quotes a founding father saying we have a republic in an article about how are democracy is being undone by the rules of how we elect our President and Congress. How can you write an article in a major magazine and not even understand the difference between the words you use.
Republican and Democratic systems of government have in common that the people have a voice in the government. But they are very different in practice and form. Learn the difference and be a part of moving us back to a republic as we were intended to be. Not a democracy no matter what the president or his opponent in the current election say.
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