Darwin, I, too, get very frustrated when I hear people referring to our
system of government as a Democracy.  We are, as you explain, a
Representative Republic.  There IS a very important difference.   Thank
you for taking the time to explain the difference so clearly.

>>
>>First of all, let me say that I have my own personal opinion about
>whether
>>President Clinton should be impeached, but my personal opinion
>doesn't
>>matter in the scheme of things. What matters is that we are a
>Republic, not
>>a Democracy. For those of you who don't know the difference, here is
>a
>short
>>explanation:
>>
>>Only in a Democracy does the majority rule. In a Republic,
>representatives
>>are elected to conduct the affairs of government using whatever
>knowledge
>>and ethics they have and their conduct is governed by the
>Constitution and
>>the laws of the land. The concept that the majority can be wrong has
>been
>>demonstrated many times in history and the founding fathers
>recognized this
>>to the point that even the electoral college was created and given
>the
>power
>>to override a popular (majority) vote. So it means nothing to me what
>the
>>polls show one way or the other. The process that is going on is
>dictated
>by
>>our Constitution, and I believe it is the most precious (next to the
>texts
>>brought together in the Bible) document every created. It is not for
>the
>>people to decide by polls and surveys, it is for Congress to decide
>as our
>>duly elected representatives.
>>
>>To those that think our country is going to come to a complete
>standstill
>>and that the outcome is going to affect our health care, I say this.
>During
>>the serious and severe trials of WWII we lost a president, but the
>country
>>didn't collapse. Our resilience as a country is much more than most
>people
>>give credit for. That just shows you what a great country we have and
>that
>>our forefathers really did create the most fantastic system of
>government
>>ever on this earth. Will our health care suffer? I don't know, and
>frankly
>I
>>don't care. If the Constitutional process is not followed, then I
>can
>>practically guarantee our health care will eventually suffer, if not
>in our
>>lifetime, then in our children's.
>>
>>My comments would be exactly the same regardless of who the president
>was
>or
>>how great (or awful) he was perceived to be. No one man is
>responsible for
>>all the changes (for good or bad) that take place during his (or
>her)
>>administration. Should have absolutely nothing to do with following
>>Constitutional law regardless of where it takes you. Our very freedom
>to
>>even do what we do on this list depends on the sanctity of that
>document.
>>
>>- - -
>>Here are my additional thoughts:
>>
>>I used to think as many of you still do that we were a Democracy.
>This was
>>and can be extremely frustrating. It was only when I truly understood
>that
>>we are a Republic and understood the significance of why the
>founding
>>fathers invented that form of government (we were the first and only
>one
>>that has ever been), that all the frustration and agonizing went
>away.
>>
>>Our form of government was not created by a majority vote of the
>people. A
>>few men with an unbelievable dream brought it into existence via our
>basic
>>Constitution. It was so perfect that more learned men and women than
>you or
>>I have brought forth only a few additional amendments over the years
>as
>>times and experience has required. Even with the amendments, it was
>not a
>>majority vote of the people that adopted them, it was by 2/3 majority
>of
>3/4
>>of our State Legislatures (where, by the way, we also have the
>Republic
>form
>>of government, not a Democracy!). I could even go so far as to say it
>(the
>>Constitution) may have been divinely inspired.
>>
>>The Constitution does not give the option of censure! It must be
>amended
>>before we will have that option.
>>If in trying to uphold and comply with our Constitution, the nation
>is
>>paralyzed for months, then it isn't worth the paper it is written
>on.
>>Congress has no choice, partisan or non-partisan notwithstanding, but
>to
>>comply with the Constitutionally mandated process, because the
>process does
>>matter.
>>
>>Yes, I do most certainly agree that anyone's actions outside the
>courtroom
>>and grandjury are private matters.
>>But, if a person stands up and takes an oath to "uphold and defend
>the
>>Constitution and the Laws of the United States of America" or takes
>another
>>oath to "tell the truth, tell the whole truth and nothing but the
>truth",
>>and it appears they did not do one or both, then let the chips fall
>where
>>they may. That includes you and me and them!
>>
>>Finally, we, the people, do not have a vote on impeachment. Majority
>does
>>not necessarily rule in a Republic. Again, the recorded history of
>the
>world
>>shows the wisdom of our forefathers in realizing the majority can
>sometimes
>>be wrong. The only remedy for the majority is to elect competent
>>representatives with a platform that represents your views, but even
>then,
>>they can change their minds (politicians do make unfulfilled
>promises) or
>be
>>diluted by the checks and balances of having an opposition party to
>contend
>>with. Can you imagine the chaos that would occur (daily? weekly?
>monthly?,
>>yearly?) if, we, the people, tried to rule ourselves by majority
>opinion?
>>
>>Oh, one more thing to challenge your thinking, be you Republican or
>>Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, voter or non-voter, whatever and
>with
>>respect to bi-partisanship versus partisanship. Would you want all
>three
>>branches of our government 100% populated by the same party? Even
>your
>>party?
>>
>>THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IS NOT A DEMOCRACY, IT IS A REPUBLIC,
>THANK
>>GOD!!!!!!
>>
>>Sorry this was so long. Helps me sleep better at night! Otherwise,
>stuff
>>just keeps rattling around in my head, and that gets real noisy!
>>
>>Love to all,
>>Darwin
>