When our Nation was founded it was as a Republic not a democracy. A pure democracy they knew could degenerate into chaos. A Republic is composed of bodies (States) that would more than share the power of the central government , they would keep it under control.
The framers knew that ”central governments” whether monarchical or otherwise would inevitably succumb to the truth that “power corrupts…” and carefully crafted our Constitution to place the real power to regulate the people in the States where the people could interact with and directly influence the actions of their government.
It was in the Counties and Townships where the real guts of political power resided in their time and they personally observed “democracy at work”. And work it did, individual citizens personally influencing the actions of those who governed them. Even back then they sensed that in the faraway capital of the Nation representatives could (would inevitably) lose touch.
Well, they certainly were right. What we have in DC are Dukes and Earls, Lords and Ladies, Princes and Princesses. All the trappings of royalty. Private cars and planes. Private banks and Post Offices, Private Dining Rooms, and now we hear of Private Medical Clinics. Our betters. Get in their faces and you go to jail. Appear about to get physical you get shot and you’ll never hear about the Federal trigger puller getting suspended pending a review by a “Civilian Review Board”. What they do up there is right because they do it. It used to be called “Divine Right”.
We now exhibit fewer of the characteristics of a Republic than we do of an oligarchy.
I see my Mayor, Board Members, and Sheriff at the grocery (they won’t have the Executive Protection Service hovering nearby) and if inclined can let them know how I feel. They’ll listen and probably react.
From Contemporary Federalists - My Blog
The framers knew that ”central governments” whether monarchical or otherwise would inevitably succumb to the truth that “power corrupts…” and carefully crafted our Constitution to place the real power to regulate the people in the States where the people could interact with and directly influence the actions of their government.
It was in the Counties and Townships where the real guts of political power resided in their time and they personally observed “democracy at work”. And work it did, individual citizens personally influencing the actions of those who governed them. Even back then they sensed that in the faraway capital of the Nation representatives could (would inevitably) lose touch.
Well, they certainly were right. What we have in DC are Dukes and Earls, Lords and Ladies, Princes and Princesses. All the trappings of royalty. Private cars and planes. Private banks and Post Offices, Private Dining Rooms, and now we hear of Private Medical Clinics. Our betters. Get in their faces and you go to jail. Appear about to get physical you get shot and you’ll never hear about the Federal trigger puller getting suspended pending a review by a “Civilian Review Board”. What they do up there is right because they do it. It used to be called “Divine Right”.
We now exhibit fewer of the characteristics of a Republic than we do of an oligarchy.
I see my Mayor, Board Members, and Sheriff at the grocery (they won’t have the Executive Protection Service hovering nearby) and if inclined can let them know how I feel. They’ll listen and probably react.
From Contemporary Federalists - My Blog