Two wolves and a sheep

In response to Bob Brown’s letter that was published in the Middletown Times Star January 18, 2008.

In that letter he wrote: “What replaced government control was democracy which put government in the hands of the people.”

I can not let anyone think that statement is correct as written.

What replaced British tyranny was a Constitution that insured a government by the people could not abridge certain God given rights through consensus. That is why the United States of America is a Constitutional Republic NOT a Democracy.

The founding Fathers abhorred a democracy. You will not even find the word in our Constitution or the Declaration of Independence; it is only folks who seek collective rule that use the word in describing our country.

In the federalist’s papers #10 Madison makes the argument why America should be a republic rather than a democracy. One point he makes is: “Hence it is that such democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have in general been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.”

John Adams in 1814 said: “Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”

But on the other hand, two individuals who thought a democracy essential were Vladimir Lenin who said: “Democracy is indispensable to Socialism”, and Karl Marx who said: “Democracy is the road to Socialism.”

A democracy does not present a pretty picture. A simple explanation of what a democracy represents is: two wolves and a sheep take a majority vote on what’s for supper. - In other words, in a democracy (which is majority rule); there is nothing to protect the sheep from the wolves, the wolves representing the majority, the sheep, the minority.

However, in a constitutional republic: the wolves are forbidden from voting on what’s for supper and the sheep is well armed. - Meaning, given the same situation in a constitutional republic, the rights of the sheep are protected from the wolves by the constitution and should the wolves rise up to challenge that right the sheep has a means to protect itself from the mob. (The sheep should always remain well armed)

Confusion is generated about what kind of government we have because we do use a limited form of democracy when we vote, however, we may only vote on issues that are constitutionally correct, therefore: the wolves will never be allowed to vote on what’s for supper as the constitution protects the rights of the sheep.

Democracy is only a safe process when individual rights are protected from majority rule. So the next time someone talks about democracy, you better listen real close because you may be the intended sheep.

Regarding his statements on health insurance, the truth is, no one may be refused actual health care, that is the law. And as for universal health care, my wife and I lived in Germany for over three years, where they had socialized medicine, and experienced this type of health care first hand and I don’t want it. My wife gave birth to our first child in a German hospital and our second child was born in an American hospital, do you need to ask her opinion on which she would prefer?

It is tiring to have folks slam this country when in most cases they have never experienced real socialism or given up any freedoms and then got them back. These folks need to go try living somewhere else as regular folks for a few years and then maybe they’ll understand why people risk their lives to come to America not to leave America.


© January 30, 2008