U.S. is 'representative republic,' not democracy

I read in a March 31 Letter to the Editor that we live in a "representative democracy." What?

This is exactly what is wrong with this country! Citizens have no idea what our country was founded on or what our country is.

We live in a representative republic. And why? Here it is: Our Founding Fathers were highly educated people and did not want a democracy because they feared a true democracy was just as dangerous as a monarchy.

Ben Franklin said, "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote."

Even 230-plus years ago, our Founders knew enough to realize that democracy was a dangerous form of government. They knew that the citizens could become just as corrupt as any government. Ask the Native Americans or the black Americans if the population can become corrupt.

We select our representatives by a democratic election, but they are supposed to work and operate in our representative republic upholding the Constitution of the United States.

Mike McLeod

Palmetto

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "U.S. is 'representative republic,' not democracy ."