Posted on 11/08/2004 1:34:10 PM PST by Conservative Coulter Fan
FDR is most directly responsible for the cultivation of this myth that the General Welfare Clause was a blank check for the Federal Government and that the limitations on the Federal Government were essentially null and void because of a general summary of the specific powers and areas of the Federal Government (enumerated powers).
Well, ok, but we are a democratic republic.
All of our political chief executives are chosen by the popular vote, as are all of our legislators and many of our judges. We also have direct ballot initiative processes in about 23 states. We are not a democracy in the Athenian sense, of course, but there's no particular reason to cede to the ancient Greeks the definition of "democracy". Our system was democratic even before it was a republic. Take a look at American colonial governance. It was representative in some parts, town meeting style in New England, and quite democratic.
And our republic doesn't look much like the Roman Republic, where class limitations applied to what offices one could hold.
We aren't a classical democracy, and we're not a classical republic. We're a democratic republic, or a republican democracy, and always have been. really. There aren't any historical precedents for what we've done here: we broke the mold.
btt
BTTT
From post: ""oligarchy (a government run by a small council or a group of elite individuals)": "
With a couple of others - our government has gotten close to this form - Considering how many laws they have passed to protect themselves - And how they cover for each other when one with "power or money" gets into trouble - Some Reps. and people, like S.B. - can break laws even - and not be made to pay -
Our government is ripe with people who work to corrupt it even more - A sad state - and some citizens are to blame - plus add in what has happened to the major media - and it will be hard to get back to where it all started - Perhaps one way would be to make these papers required reading in all schools - colleges even -
In some respect - some changes are needed - also because of the current situation. How officials are chosen(local level on up) - especially from "new" citizens - and who can become a citizen -
The part where anyone born here(even if the foreign parents leave after) becomes a citizen - needs a second look - What once was - is no longer a safe practice for this nation - in my opinion - citizens must see this and move to head off one of the opening that would/could lead to the possible defeat of this nation from within -
Foreigners in the past came here to join in - to become an American because they had a high regard for the nation - This no longer is the fact for many new foreigners coming here. We should recognize this and deal with it - in some manner that still allows this nation to grow but limits the danger from any new citizen intent on doing harm -
just my thoughts -
The Roman Empire, you meant that surely.
Always good...
Forty five million babies would tend to disagree with you.
No, I meant the Roman Republic, during all those centuries before the Caesar and the Civil War turned it into an empire.
Rome was the original republic, and it worked pretty well at making for a powerful large state with a largely committed citizenry; better than Greece with its petty little quasi-democratic states that imploded pretty quickly (Athens' democratic "Golden Age" lasted only about 50 years); better than the petty despotism that substituted for government in most other places; a little bit better than monarchy in places like Egypt, although to be fair, monarchy gave the republic a better run than anything else, because there is a religious component to monarchy that commands loyalty of most of the people, quite unlike despotism or even democracy if you happen to be in the out-of-power party.
Republican Rome is probably the best ancient parallel to us, but it's not all that good a parallel. Certainly Britain's not much of a parallel, or wasn't. The American Colonies were seriously democratic places; England didn't become democratic in any real sense until the Reform Act of 1832.
Ping
BTTT
I don't believe emphasis on the republic removes my absolute opposition to abortion, which I've argued should be a criminal offense [Premeditated Homicide].
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.