America under threat from within

OPINION:

In his recent article “The Democratic Subversion of Democracy,” Ben Shapiro decries how the Democratic Party is undermining the principles of democracy, endangering freedom itself.

Yet Mr. Shapiro inadvertently participates in this endangerment of freedom, not by endorsing the Democratic Party’s tactics but by mislabeling America as a democracy.

This mischaracterization, especially when used by well-intentioned conservatives who should know better, plays into the hands of those who seek to erode America’s foundations.

The United States is not and never was a democracy. It is a republic, and conflating the two is more than a mere oversight. It’s a fundamental misunderstanding that eats away at the structure of our government.

While some may say that I’m splitting hairs, there are differences between republics and democracies that have real implications. Moreover, confusing or conflating these two systems could be the difference between the United States failing and succeeding.

Let’s start with definitions.

According to Webster’s 1828 dictionary, a democracy is “a form of government, in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of the people collectively, or in which the people exercise the powers of legislation.” It’s a system where the entire voting populace makes the laws. The majority rules, often at the expense of the minority’s rights.

In contrast, a republic is defined as “a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law.” In a republic, the rule of law and individual rights are paramount, not the whims of the majority.

Our founders were clear about their disdain for pure democracy.

James Madison warned in The Federalist No. 10 that 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.”

Benjamin Rush, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, said, “A simple democracy … is one of the greatest of evils.”

Alexander Hamilton was even more blunt, calling democracy a “disease.”

There are many more examples.

Simply put, the two systems of government are not interchangeable.

Imagine if you’d been driving a Chevrolet for years, and suddenly it stopped running well. You buy Ford parts to replace whatever is broken. But as you try to install the Ford parts on your Chevy, you realize they don’t fit right, and in the end, the vehicle is functioning even worse than before or has ceased to operate altogether.

This is what has happened in our country. America ran as a reliable republic for over 100 years. Then came the Progressive movement and Woodrow Wilson, who started the trend of bolting democratic “parts” onto our republic.

As conservatives, we fret over why we can’t get back to the Constitution, all the while buying the “America is a democracy” lie and unintentionally furthering the far-left agenda.

So why do many conservative commentators and politicians who claim to hold the Constitution and the founders in high regard continue to perpetuate the myth that America is a democracy?

The answer is simple: laziness and conformity.

The left has co-opted our use of language so effectively that, after hearing the same lie over and over, it’s easier to go along with the majority, even when that majority is dangerously wrong.

But this is more than just semantics.

When everyone from President Woodrow Wilson to Ben Shapiro talks about America as a democracy, people start believing it. And when you start believing that you live in a democracy, you start operating as if you live in a democracy.

Instead of allowing the legislative branch to pass legislation, you demand ballot initiatives so “the people” can have their say. The Electoral College, perhaps one of the most important innovations our Founding Fathers gave us, becomes a confusing burden that strips away “my ability to have a voice” in who becomes president.

Instead of allowing the states to have a voice in our federal government (an essential tenet of federalism), you pass the 17th Amendment, which requires the direct election of senators. You start believing that majority rule is the highest good, trumping the rule of law.

Instead of Congress passing laws, the president executes unconstitutional executive orders to fulfill “what the people want.” Executive agencies overstep their authority and start creating rules and regulations that carry the force of law with no accountability. You begin to see checks and balances not as essential safeguards but as obstacles to your will.

Increasingly, elected officials bend to popular demand, even when that demand is unconstitutional or unjust (universal health care, student loan forgiveness, etc.). Never forget that the founders took pains to design a system that protects against the tyranny of the majority. When you forget that, you begin to chip away at the foundations of our republic.

A democracy is driven by the passions of the moment, susceptible to the whims of the majority, and often blind to long-term consequences. A republic, on the other hand, is anchored by a constitution, the rule of law and the protection of individual rights, which ensures that those in power are accountable to the people they serve, not to fleeting popular opinion.

Over the long term, the democratic mindset erodes the fabric of our republic.

In conclusion, it’s time for conservatives to stop perpetuating the myth that America is a democracy.

If you truly care about the future of this country, educate yourself on the difference between a republic and a democracy. Question everything you hear, even from those on your side of the political aisle. And for those with the platform to influence millions, get it right — before it’s too late. The survival of our republic depends on it.

• Brady Smith is a fellow with the Freedom Rising Fellowship Program at the American Journey Experience and a policy adviser for the Heartland Institute.