Are we a republic?

[mdlowry]

If I understand correctly, a republic is a representive form of government. In a republic the


people have certain rights that the government is not allowed to take away. If I have this wrong,


please correct me. I was "educated" in a government school.



According to the Constitution, we are a republic. It seems to me that our government today


bears no resemblence to what the Constitution outlines as the duties and limits of the government.


Just looking at the Bill of Rights, I can't seem to find one that has not been violated by our


present government.



I think a better description of our current for of government would be a democratic socialism.


Democratic, since we elect our representivites, and they vote for the laws. They are not


prohibited from passing laws violating our human rights, in fact our human rights are able to be


voted and and repealed anytime that the congress can get a majority vote. Socialism describes


an economic system. Socialism seeks "fairness" (from each according to his ability, to each


according to his need). Under socialism, the government is required to take care of the people.


It will provide for the necessities such as food (food stamps), housing (rent control), medical care


(medicare and medicade) and other basic necessities (welfare in general). Social(ist) security


also is designed to provide for people's retirement.



Democracy is not something we should be striving towards. I once heard it described as two


wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. As soon as another party gains control,


they get to use the power of the government to do as they will. All they need is a majority of the


senators and representatives to agree. Socialism has failed as an economic system around the


world. When other governments haved accepted this, and started moving (somewhat) towards a


capatalistic economy, their economy has improved.



What do we need to do to return our country to a republic? I don't know. We would have to


change the attitude of the people in the country. Too many people seem to think that they should


be given money simply because they live here. This is not limited to the poor in this country but


also the middle class. Socialist security has failed, but those collecting or who are near do not


seem to want the system changed. The people who are living in nursing homes have the


government picking up the cost of their stay. I can't see the country changing until this socialist


mentality changes. The only other option is watering the Tree of Liberty.

 

[mdlowry]

With the reading I've done lately, I had to rant a bit.



Comments?

 

[dmurdock]

I know this may sound harsh, but i'd say 80-90 percent of the people in this country could care less about government and would prefer someone think for them. Until this changes, i don't see much hope. I know this sounds "pessimistic", but I think it's pretty close to the truth.

 

[The patriot]

You are correct, this country started as a republic.

It has latley been getting more like a democracy. I've been hearing more and more people refering to the USA as a democracy..... incorrectly.

Some of these individuals are highly educated. I'm not, but I know the difference.

Eric

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Yes, it was formed as a Democratic Republic - the 2 go together as complimentary terms and political entities.



But you're right - what we actually have now in reality is far more a somewhat dictatorial Socialist Democracy - and it AIN'T gonna get any better...



Keep yer powder dry!

 

[Champane Flight]

Most

Yes in many ways we are a Republic, Democratic, Socialist, society, striving for the protection of the inocent, a home for the brave, with liberty and justice for somebody, and don't forget the huddled masses.



The real problem with SS is that politicians have gotten there fingers on it, instead of accountants. After all, they are after one thing, "votes" . Just like the last tax cut, now the same people that cryed "We need to give it back to the people" so loud, are saying "We don't have the money to run the goverment now" .



Most of the people that are whinning about SS are people that are either on it already, or people that are not even close.

Similar to the people who are talking about wildfires being the goverments fault, most don't live in the mountains. And haven't seen selfish, stupid people start campfires, or barbeques, so they can cook their hotdogs, even after several warnings and bans. Then start a 40,000 acre fire in drought conditions. They would be the same ones whinning if the goverment came in and cleared brush at a cost to the taxpayer. A lot of the land burning right now has been cleared, when it is this dry it does not matter, it all goes up!



I am tired of politics, it is the same ole story over and over again. The broken record gets very boring.

 

[FATCAT]

We were a Republic.

mdlowry,

I see you are from NH like me. There is a good site and organization whom I send some money to who write about what our Constitution is and use to be. The NHCCS is an excellent organization that will explain much about our gov't. Go to this site and page down to the bottom and click on a story called

"Not Yours To Give" and read about what happens when a majority realizes it can vote themselves gifts from the treasury ... the Republic will soon die.



They are a good organization and send out a quarterly news letter for a small donation. But anyway, look at their site and you will discover some wonderful reading ... information that our gov't indoctrination centers (a. k. a. public schools), don't want our young people to know about.



Also read up on why we were not created as a Democracy, in the Federalist Papers. Democracies always collapse due to "mob rule" and not the rule of law. The Federalist Papers should be a required class for each and every student in this country.



Like Gary said "keep your power dry", because this country will collapse in the not to distant future from its own bloated bureaucracy and the greed of the people's "entitlement" mentality.

 

[homeka45]

Make sure you also have enough primers!

 

[mdlowry]

Fatcat, thanks for the links. Looks like my reading list just got bigger.

 

[RonaldLarson]

SS ?

Social Security was the brain child of FDR. His aim was to create a society which gradually and increasingly depended upon the federal government to be able to survive financialy. Medicare was the brainchild of LBJ. His aim was to create a society which gradually and increasingly depended upon the federal government to be able to survive physically.

Both of these ill conceived debacle's current condition serves as solid proof that the federal government does not have the business skills required to provide anything outside of that which the Constitution mandates. Members of Congress have no personal stake nor investment in either program. WHY?

Because they voted themselves, many years ago into a Congress-only retirement and healthcare system that is funded directly from ALL AMERICANS FEDERAL TAXES. FULL PAY FOR THE LIFE OF THE RETIRED CONGRESSMAN, AND A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT FOR THE WIDOW/WIDOWER.

Now, let's pretend that we are what we were Constitutionally mandated to be: a Republic. None of this could have happened!

Who's in charge? We are, and WE are doing a pretty lousy job.

Socialism is the equal distribution of poverty.

Reload, and be ready!

Ron

 

[Power Wagon]

Re: Most

Originally posted by Champane Flight



The real problem with SS is that politicians have gotten there fingers on it, instead of accountants. After all, they are after one thing, "votes" . Just like the last tax cut, now the same people that cryed "We need to give it back to the people" so loud, are saying "We don't have the money to run the goverment now" .

No, the only people saying we don't have enough money to run government are the ones who would still complain if every dime in the world were at their disposal.



The government has many times the amount of money it needs to run, and that's a fact. Those who say there's not enough lie. Plain and simple. Lie.

 

[brucew]

are we a republic

as you say the pledge of allegiance i remember "... to the flag... and to the republic for which it stands... ". if you want to visit another website try the one listed by the john birch society. www.jbs.org i find this site quite informational and my 15yr. old will be attending one of their summer camps this summer. i read the requirements for camp and the courses taught i was most impressed. i found this quote interesting: "americanism is the adherence to the principlesupon which our nation was founded: that rights come from God, not government,, that our nation is goverened by law, not by majority rule, and that individuals share the constitutional mandate" to secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity" . sorry for the length. bruce

 

[brucew]

federalist papers

fatcat: appreciated your brief commentary. so many people confuse majority rule with the rule of law. i really enjoy some of the literature published by the jbs. http//www.jbs.org bruce

 

[Champane Flight]

God given right?

The John Birch society is just another FAR right christian organization as commited to brainwashing as the FAR left schools system this nation has founded. One is as bad as the other.

 

[mdlowry]

Re: Federalists Papers

About a year ago, I picked up the Antifederalist Papers. It's hard to imagine that some of the people back then were afraid of a stronger central government. They thought that the central government might usurp the States power and were afraid that it might trample the freedom they fought so hard for. I wonder who was right?



If you've read the Federalist Papers, take a look at the other side of the debate. Very interesting reading.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Sorry to come off negative - and I realize our society has it's fair share of "Pollyannas" who constantly preach everythings hunky-dory, and all will come out just peachy-keen eventually - but as far as *I* am concerned, stopping the direction our society is headed is like roping the wind or stopping an avalanche!



It's no longer a question of whether our county is really alive and well, but rather, long it will be until the funeral... We are most definitely in the last stages of political, financial and moral collapse. Being 65 years old, I can rather easily see how far and how FAST we've come down the path to Socialism and severe erosion of personal freedoms as established at the beginning of our country - and held dear and died for during the years and wars in between then and now - it's a pity our country's history has been so severely re-written by liberals and socialists - to the point that the younger generation hasn't any real clue as to how and why our nation came into being in the first place. No, it's never been a "perfect" country - but it's NEVER been as FAR from perfect as it is today!



God Bless America - may she rest in peace!

 

[mdlowry]

Originally posted by Gary - KJ6Q
Being 65 years old, I can rather easily see how far and how FAST we've come down the path to Socialism and severe erosion of personal freedoms as established at the beginning of our country - and held dear and died for during the years and wars in between then and now - it's a pity our country's history has been so severely re-written by liberals and socialists - to the point that the younger generation hasn't any real clue as to how and why our nation came into being in the first place.

Hey, that's ME your talking about! I suppose I'd be considered that younger generation since I'm 29.

 

[The patriot]

I'm 38 and I've seen plenty of changes.

 

[jwdeeming]

The John Birch society is just another FAR right christian organization as commited to brainwashing as the FAR left schools system this nation has founded. One is as bad as the other.

Champane,



On what do you base that statement? I'm not all that familiar with JBS, but their website front page says this:



Thousands of individuals from every walk of life and from all ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds constitute the membership of The John Birch Society. Our common bond is a love for liberty and our rejection of totalitarianism in any form.

 

[Champane Flight]

I happened

I happened to be on the other end of the John Birch society back in the 60s. We lived in a little mining town in Arizona that was run by members of the John Birch society. It was ALL white, no members of any off white, ethnic background were allowed to live there. There was one Hispanic family in town, and that was because they were there before they found copper! It may have changed since then (probably to enlist more members), but ANY form of God based political group is as bad as the Taliban in my book. Make no mistake about it, they are as radical as the far left.