COMMENTARY: Republican Politics, Democratic Solutions and the Rule of Law

In a political year, a little perspective on civics and politics in America is in order. I purposely teased the title of this commentary to bait both Republicans and Democrats into the waters of a partisan debate. In reality, I wanted to remind the reader that America is a Republic and not a Democracy. Candidates for president this year are all over the political spectrum with platform issues and the role of government we elect to serve the wants and needs in the lives of the electorate.

San Benito County typically leans for the Democratic ticket. In fact, it has earned the moniker “bellwether” county in California due to its similarity to reflect the political outcome of elections throughout the entire state; historically, a bellwether is defined as “the leading sheep of a flock, with a bell on its neck” but in the modern vernacular has come to mean “an indicator or predictor of something.”

But the essence of what makes America great, while it has its faults, is that it is still the most successful political endeavor the world has known as a government system thus far; it is the fact that the nation is ruled by laws as a Republic, not a democracy. Alexander Hamilton stated: “We are a Republican government. Real liberty is never found in despotism or in the extremes of democracy.” Conversely, America is constantly under threat of the tyranny of becoming an oligarchy; i.e. ruled by the vast wealth, political influence and largesse of corporations and Super PACS (Political Action Committees) with virtually unlimited wealth protected by the Supreme Court’s decision of Citizens United wherein political money contributed to influence politicians is protected as ‘free speech’.

This election year has produced very radical extremes on both ends of the political spectrum. It will be interesting to see how the national electorate votes to re-balance and re-align the balance of power and systems of checks and balances that facilitate federal, state and local government in November.

Below is an excellent 11-minute documentary that encapsulates the history of government power throughout the world and how America has evolved its system of government.