Inalienable rights (RKBA et al) and democracy vs. republican form of govt.

[jody]

”Are we a republic or a democracy?” by Walter E. Williams
QUOTE
So what's the difference between republican and democratic forms of government? John Adams captured the essence of the difference when he said, "You have rights antecedent to all earthly governments; rights that cannot be repealed or restrained by human laws; rights derived from the Great Legislator of the Universe." Nothing in our Constitution suggests that government is a grantor of rights. Instead,
overnment is a protector of rights.

In recognition that it's Congress that poses the greatest threat to our liberties, the framers used negative phrases against Congress throughout the Constitution such as: shall not abridge, infringe, deny, disparage, and shall not be violated, nor be denied. In a republican form of government, there is rule of law. All citizens, including government officials, are accountable to the same laws. Government power is limited and decentralized through a system of checks and balances. Government intervenes in civil society to protect its citizens against force and fraud but does not intervene in the cases of peaceable, voluntary exchange.
UNQUOTE

[Billy Ruffian]

1. I wish that described the current US gov't.

And I fear that the current Democratic leadership as bad as the repukes.

[CO Liberal]

2. Walter Williams Is a Useless Bastard

He fills in for Rush Limbaugh when Blimp Boy is too drugged out to host his show, and one of his best friends is another useless bastard, Thomas Sowell.

I wouldn't trust anything written by either of those turds. Besides, the writings of an avowed conservative have no place on a progressive web site like DU, IMHO.

[enfield collector]

5. you got that right!

He fills in for Rush Limbaugh when Blimp Boy is too drugged out to host his show, and one of his best friends is another useless bastard, Thomas Sowell.

I wouldn't trust anything written by either of those turds. Besides, the writings of an avowed conservative have no place on a progressive web site like DU, IMHO.


agreed, I never want to see any of sarah brady's rambling on here again.

[jody]

6. What statement in the article do you believe is wrong?

:hi:

[CO Liberal]

7. It Doesn't Matter WHAT He Writes, Jody

I wouldn't believe Walter Williams if he said water ran downhill. I refuse to read anything he or Thomas Sowell writes.

And YOU should be ashamed for posting their drivel here.

[Inland]

3. No idea what he is talking about.

There may be rights that aren't already recognized by the constitution, but what are they? How do we discover and define them and institute them in the law in order to perfect our society?

We debate them in a representative legislature and take a vote.

One can't expect government to be a protector of rights unless one accepts the outcome of the democratic process.

[damntexdem]

4. That may be the theory of a republican form of government ...

but it sure isn't the practice of a Republican form of government.

But, then, democracy isn't being practiced either.

Oligarchy, any one?

[Wickerman]

8. DU does not exist to give the Rush Limbaugh

substitutes and right leaning Libertarians a voice - they have plenty of other place to publish their crap and spin their message.

Locked.