Letter to the Editor: Democracy Versus Republic and the Silent Majority

To the Editor:

Forms of democracy are being shouted around the world in the mainstream media outlets, and with regular folks speaking out about their right to democracy and solidarity.  

What is unclear is whether people really know what democracy is? So let’s be clear-cut. According to Webster’s it’s a “government by the people; especially: rule of the majority." In any case, if there is a majority, and that majority is socialist, communist, Nazis, or even a mob then there is a democracy rule, or mob rule.

Story has it that when Benjamin Franklin came out of the Constitutional Convention he was asked by a woman “what have you given us?" Franklin replied “a Republic if you can keep it." 

So what did he mean? According to Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution, “The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government."  Or, as John Locke said: “For in all the states of created beings, capable of laws, where there is no law, there is no freedom. For liberty is to be free from restraint and violence from others, which cannot be where there is no law.” So a republic is simply a democracy ruled by laws not mob rule. Next time you speak of democracy, make sure to be clear what type you are asking for.

According to a new Rasmussen poll national telephone survey, 48 percent of likely U.S. voters agree more with Wisconsin's Republican governor in his dispute with union workers. Meanwhile, 38 percent agree more with the unionized public employees, while 14 percent are undecided.  

While this may be a power grab by republicans to break the unions, the facts are clear. Local, county, state and federal governments as well as school boards are stifled to make necessary changes to their budgets because union public sector jobs are untouchable from the hand of change or negotiation. Further, workers are forced to pay union dues that are used in campaigns against the will of the people.

How is it ethical for unions to collect dues paid by all taxpayers, and then turn around and use the money to elect only people that will help to enable their agenda? One could argue that business do it, yes, but not with taxpayers money.

Marc Bourdeaux, Lakeville