The greatest trick the Liberals ever played......

The greatest trick the Liberals ever played was convincing the American public that we're a democracy and not a Republic.  And yes, I'm paraphrasing from "The Usual Suspects".  I was speaking with someone yesterday who was not born nor raised here about the city of Chicago and how I feel that it is a drain and money sink on the rest of the state.  He is of the mind that the poor "rednecks" downstate would have no access to culture or any of the other opportunities that the city affords the rest of the state should it be cut off politically and monetarily from the rest of the state.  And he said, "after all, it is a democracy." (in response to my contention that Chicago politics have taken over the state government).  Trying to explain the difference would probably have been an exercise in futility and it wasn't a conversation I wished to continue.

That said, a reminder never hurts:

At Free Republic:

Democracy: Operates by direct majority vote of the people. When an issue is to be decided, the entire population votes on it; the majority wins and rules. A democracy is rule by majority feeling (what the Founding Fathers described as “mobocracy”). Example: in a democracy, if a majority of the people decides that murder is no longer a crime, murder will no longer be a crime.

Republic: Where the general population elects representatives who then pass laws to govern the nation … a republic is rule by law. Our republic is a form of government where power is separated, [our Founding Fathers knew that people are basically weak, sinful and corruptible, (Jeremiah 17:9)], pitting men against each other, making it difficult to pass laws and make changes. 

At Citizens for a Constitutional Republic (take time to read the whole thing):

A Republic is representative government ruled by law (the Constitution).   A democracy is direct government ruled by the majority (mob rule).   A Republic recognizes the inalienable rights of individuals while democracies are only concerned with group wants or needs (the public good).

The problem is that the meme of the United States as a democracy has been repeated, even (or especially) in schools and universities for the past 30 years.  The electorate has been co-opted by this thought, which has lead to things such as the Occupy movement (the 99% and that makes them right, in their minds).  The idea that individual rights and rule of law have been taken over by those who wish to grab and keep power.  The state of Illinois is a perfect example:  the state government has been absorbed into the city via the democratic process.  There is no longer a check on the many forcing their needs and wants on the few.  In essence, there is no longer a rule of law, but a tyranny of the masses (a mobocracy).

Rule of law needs to be re-established.  Checks and balances put back into place.  Laws must no longer be written for certain groups or that exempt certain groups (such as the proposed smoking ban in Indiana that exempts casinos).  If a law is worth being written, then it must apply to all and be enforced for all.  There are so many laws on the books now, that selective enforcement has become the norm as well as a political weapon.

Check out this video to re-acquaint yourself (most of my readers won't need to) with our political system and ideological differences.