There are a lot of people who don't understand the difference between a "Democracy" and a "Representative Republic" because of the use of democratic elections.
At face value, "democracy" is popular vote. What the majority votes for in a list of choices, wins.
However, in a 'representative republic', people who have been elected to represent the peoples interests make those decisions via popular vote.
Both the left and right activists get it wrong. They assume because they are elected to represent the interests of the people, that means they are to look out for the 'best interests' like a nanny, making decisions which may disregard popular opinion, is what the nannies think is 'best' for the kiddies.
This is not correct either.
Elected representatives are granted time throughout the yer to go back to their state to touch base with the population they represent. This is meant to get a better idea of what the people in their state want done. Not to see what they think people need done.
This is where party politics has failed the American voters. The two dominating parties have assumed that they are in a position to tell the voters what is best for them instead of investigating and going back to Congress with their marching orders from the voters.
Remember, every elected representative, from congress people to senators to the president are public servants. Not literally implying that they are well dressed butlers, but they have an obligation to do what they are directed to do by the larger public.
When we say we need 'leaders' in government, we mean we need people who will stand up and fight for who they represent against those who would impose upon the interests of the citizens. These 'leaders' need to fight and find ways to make those things happen, to do those things the voters want done.
We send one or a few of our own from each state to represent our positions among the other states, instead of trying to conduct an over-sized mass public vote on every issue. That would be 'democracy'.
We just need to remind those representatives who they work for and not who they think they are lording over.
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I don't know if you missed the target a little, or maybe I misread what you wrote.
ReplyDeleteIn our Congress, the House of Representatives is there to represent *us*. Each represents some section of the population. We tell them what we want, and how we want it, and they're supposed to try to do just that. They serve only two-year terms, so they *have* to keep touching base with their constituents to see what we want (if they want to be re-elected).
The Senate, on the other hand, is supposed to watch out for the country as a whole. Part of its purpose is to dampen the "swings" of policy that could result from the exuberant exercise of democracy, which is the House's place.
You are correct, though, in that most of our elected 'representatives' seem to feel they are part of an elite aristocracy. "Eat your bread, and watch your circuses. Let US worry about running the government."