Eileen,I read your article and I have to ask you why you continue to provide misinformation to the very people you are supposed to be educating. We have had this discussion before and you are adamant that our Country is a Democracy and state that it is a “Democratic Republic” or a “Representative Democracy”. I would refer you to the Constitution of the United States Article 4, Section 4, which clearly states “The United States shall guarantee to every State in the Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence.”
It is stated VERY CLEARLY that we are a Republic. When you refer to Federalist Paper No. 14 in which James Madison used the word “democracy” you either failed to provide context to your readers or you deliberately set out to deceive them with things they have no knowledge of. In Federalist Paper 14, James Madison himself says” The error which limits Republican government to a narrow district has been unfolded and REFUTED in preceding papers. I remark here only that it seems to owe its rise and prevalence chiefly to the confounding of a republic with a democracy, applying to the former reasonings drawn from the nature of the latter. The true distinction between these forms was also adverted to on a former occasion. It is that in a democracy, the people meet and exercise the government IN PERSON; in a REPUBLIC, they assemble and administer it by their representatives and agents. A democracy, consequently will be confined to a small spot. A REPUBLIC may be extended over a large region.” This in itself will refute your claims that the United States is a Democracy.Further, in Federalist #9 Hamilton has this to say “It is not to be denied that the portraits they have sketched of REPUBLICAN government were too just copies of the originals from which they were taken. If it had been found impracticable to have devised models of a more perfect structure, the enlightened friends to liberty would have been obliged to abandon the cause of that species of Government as indefensible. The science of politics, however, like most other sciences, has received great improvement. The efficacy of various principles is now well understood, which were either not known at all, or imperfectly known to the ancients. The regular distribution of power into distinct departments; the introduction of legislative balances and checks; the institutions of courts composed of judges holding their offices during good behavior; the representation of the people in the legislature by deputies of their own election; these are wholly new discoveries, or have made their principle progress towards perfection in modern times. They are means, and powerful means, by which the excellences of REPUBLICAN government may be retained.”
Federalist Paper # 14 spoke of the distances that had been created by the Treaty of Paris. From the Mississippi on the West to the Atlantic on the East, to the Southern Shore of Lake Erie on the North a distance of some 973 miles making it impossible for the Citizens of the New United States to gather in one place to practice Democracy!
In your article you state “that in recent months references in opinion pieces and on social media to the state of democracy in the United States have drawn responses such as “we’re a republic, not a democracy” This is often the extent of the comment with no elaboration on what is intended.” Well, when I attempted to elaborate to you, eye to eye, on your misguided premise that the United States is a Democracy the response I got was “Well I guess we will have to agree to disagree” ,and the conversation was ended. The fact that you as the President of the League of Women voters has an agenda that does not fall in line with educating people as to the true method of United States Government bothers me. You have even gone so far as to disparage and call for the end to the Electoral College which, when I tried to explain it to you, you did not want to hear that either.
Ms. VanWie, I must insist that you truly educate yourself about what type of Government exists in the United States of America. The World Atlas describes us as ( A republic composed of 50 states, a number of territories, and a district, Washington D.C, which is also the country’s capital city.) Wikipedia defines it as ( a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a federal district (the city of Washington in the District of Columbia, where most of the federal government is based), five major self-governing territories and several island possessions)
Hunt for liberty Web site says this ( The common belief — which is grossly incorrect — is that the American form of government is a democracy.
Our founders were clear that democracy is the worst form of government.
A more correct — albeit simplistic — answer is that we are a republic.A more sophisticated answer is that we are a constitutional republic.
So Eileen, I have done what I could to educate you, and I hope you take this in good spirits as I only want to make sure you understand that of which you are providing misinforation to the General Public about. It is your DUTY as president of the League of Women voters to educate truthfully, not delve on what you personally feel.
I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Michael Potts,Citizen at large
