This is part two of an ongoing series on American government and economics. Read Part I here.

Republic v Democracy

America is not a Democracy…it is a Republic.

Refuse to believe it?

Ask yourself this question: which decisions are made at the FEDERAL level by the people? Answer: NONE.

Who voted to declare war on the Axis Powers?

Answer: Congress!

Who imposed sanctions on Iran?

Answer: The President!

All federal decisions are made by elected representatives and/or un-elected bureaucrats (ahem…DOJ, FBI, IRS).

But that is the essence of a Republic.

Federalism

The heart of Federalism is thus: centralization of power with representatives making the People’s decisions for them.

Now, at the STATE level, the USA is more democratic.

For example, in some states, the PEOPLE can propose ballot initiatives by collecting signatures for PUBLIC referendums and bypass the legislature (i.e. the locally elected reps).

However, the Federal Constitution preempts state law (See Supremacy Clause).

This again highlights our Republic, unlike a Democracy (e.g. Switzerland, Classical Athens).

If the residents of a STATE decide to ban free speech through referendum, The First Amendment of the US Constitution would block this action.

If they decide to ban firearms, the Second Amendment would blast this attempt (pun intended).

The definition of democracy is “Rule by the People”.

The fact is, we do NOT rule directly.

How much direct say do the PEOPLE have in day-to-day decisions of the country?

Hardly any.

Truly, it is a very undemocratic process, but very republican one.

The Representative Democracy Canard

Now, to describe the US as a “Representative Democracy” is just semantics, since what one is describing is a “Republic”.

Think of a Republic as straddling the fence between Democracy on the Left and Fascism and Tyranny on the Right.

The reason the Founders envisioned America as Republic is expressed in Federalist No. 10: they feared a “tyranny of the majority”.

How do you think we got the Electoral College? It is a “check” on the PEOPLE.

Very undemocratic and very good.

“…and to the Republic for which it stands…”

It should also be noted that the term “Republic” is used in the US Constitution in Article IV, Section 4, but the word “Democracy” never appears in the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence.

Hmmm…. I wonder why?

“Men in Robes”

Now, am I saying the Founders were all Republicans?

No.

Some were definitely democrats in the archaic sense of the word.

Advocates of “Democracy” were the Anti-Federalists, individuals like Thomas Jefferson who did not approve of the system the other Founders devised because it wasn’t democratic enough.

For example, Jefferson loathed Article III of the Constitution which established an un-elected Federal Judiciary.

In fact, Jefferson warned that someday “men in robes” would start legislating from the bench (See Judicial Tyranny).

Sadly, he was right.

Part III: Soon

Max is the host of The Max Radio Broadcast on YouTube and founder of The Max Warriors Network — a dedicated brigade of Deplorables which infiltrates and reports on Antifa activity.

Follow Max on Twitter @Maximus_4EVR and @Maximus_Legacy.