When you google democratic-republic, you would the think the
United States would come up first and en
masse. But it doesn’t. The true meaning
of that term has been hijacked in recent years by the Congo, which is one of
the bloodies countries on earth. And
that is what comes up first, followed by dozens of other links on the Congo. The problem is we are no longer a democratic
republic either.
A recent study now reports, as this blogger has been saying for years, that Princeton and Northwestern Universities released a study that our
country is now operating as an “oligarchy.”(http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/apr/21/americas-oligarchy-not-democracy-or-republic-unive/)
This means that the U.S. Government now represents the rich and
powerful,not the average citizen, United Press International is cited as saying
in this article.
The definition of oligarchy, according to Webster’s
Dictionary- the babyboomers trusted source in elementary school – is a country,
business, etc, that is controlled by a small group of people; government by a
few; a government in which a small group exercises control especially for
corrupt and selfish purposes.
The word democracy is not mentioned in either our
Constitution or the Declaration of Independence- but as Americans we all know
that we think of ourselves- and the world thinks of us- as a democracy. The Constitution cites our government as a
republic- and when we pledge allegiance to the flag – we say- “and to the
republic for which it stands.”
Why and when we began referring to ourselves as a democracy
is for another post. The purpose here
is to renew the meaning of what it means to be a “democratic republic.” This is
what we are supposed to be- and need to return to as it is strictly defined, if
you can get past the links on the internet that bring up the Democratic Republic of
the Congo.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…"
In 1821, Jefferson predicted the demise of our democratic republic would come from specific area of our government: He said that :
“The germ of destruction of our nation is in the power of the judiciary, an irresponsible body — working like gravity by night and by day, gaining a little today and a little tomorrow, and advancing its noiseless step like a thief over the field of jurisdiction, until all shall render powerless the checks of one branch over the other and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated.”
He also used the obscure term way back in the early 1800's, that is quickly gaining popularity in describing the condition of the United States' government today:
“To consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions [is] a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy.” “The exemption of the judges from [re-election concerns] is quite dangerous enough …. The people themselves …. [are] the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power.”
Yes -the germ of destruction is in our judiciary - and why we must push the reset button and rebuild our legal system - here in Pennsylvania, in the Federal government and in every state. The deterioration emanating through the bar associations is in epidemic proportions.
Democracy, republic or bloody dictatorship?
“ What’s in a name” that which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet.”That was Shakespeare of course, not Jefferson. Romeo to Juliet- he Montague and she Capulet- in the end it didn't matter. It was how they lived and died that gave their names meaning.
