For generations, the American people have heard it said in schools; they have read it in books, they have read it in pop-culture magazines, and they have heard it on television. It has been the battle cry for military action and the reason to endure hardships faced by the citizenry. The term “Democracy “has become synonymous with the United States of America. But did you know this is an inaccurate description of what we should be? More accurately asked: did you know that it is a horrible and most terrible lie?

Dr. James McHenry, one of Maryland’s delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, had his notes published in The American Historical Review, vol. 11, 1906. His anecdote on page 618 reads: “A lady asked Dr. Franklin (Benjamin Franklin) “Well Doctor what have we got a republic or a monarchy?” “A republic . . .” replied the Doctor “. . . if you can keep it” (McHenry, 1906). As a matter of fact, the idea of the Republic was actually solidified in our very own Constitution.

In fact, Article 4 Section 4 of the United States Constitution states clearly that “The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; . . .” (U.S. Const.) But what does this mean, exactly?

Understand that this is not meant to insinuate that the Republican Party is to be in control of each state. Actually, that statement has nothing to do with the Republican Party whatsoever. This has more to do with YOU!

The first question you need to ask yourself is exactly why or how so many of the “Constitutional Scholars” who pretend to be leading us have missed this crucial and fundamental point within the text of the Constitution. The second question you should probably ask is, “what is the difference between a Democracy and a Republic?” Let’s explore that.

By definition, a Republic is “a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch” (Republic, n.d.). That seems simple enough. So why the confusion?

By definition, a Democracy is “a form of government in which people choose leaders by voting” (Democracy, n.d.). Wait a second. Did you catch that?

If you ponder this long enough, you will begin to see the disconnection. When you research further, you will begin to see that in a Republic, everyone is equal, and citizens are born with the right to participate in government, electing representatives to exercise power on behalf of the people. I know that’s what you think you currently have. So let’s dig deeper.

In a Democracy, people are NOT equal, and citizens are granted permission to participate by the government, electing leaders to make decisions for them. Granted permission? This becomes clear when you factor in the definition of license or permit (official permission that would otherwise be illegal). There is a massive disconnect, and this is something that is often not taught in schools. Can you see the problem? That’s probably why our founders fought AGAINST the idea of a democracy.

It could be argued that this problem began with the 32nd U.S. President, Mr. Franklin D. Roosevelt, and his “New Deal” – which history has shown to be a very bad deal. The best retort to the inevitable question of “why?” is that the road to hell is often paved with the best of intentions.

In my opinion, the New Deal fundamentally destroyed the Republic because it eradicated the possibility of equality; it established the entitlement system and placed the government at the center of the power paradigm. Essentially, FDR ruined the foundation of America; he did not save it. He transformed it into a beast. This should have been self-evident for most Americans, but history has been blinded by the events of that time, such as the Great Depression and World War II, during which FDR was President.

This is similar to how Rudy Giuliani, then-Mayor of New York City, was somehow given a pass for his less-than-adequate abilities to govern and his bad policies due to the horrible events of September 11th, 2001 (Kellerman, 2004). The tragedy faced by a nation should not and does not change the facts surrounding a leader’s “rule.”

This is undoubtedly a bold claim that contradicts much of what you have probably learned in school. Yes, these are merely opinions, but they are opinions based on what history has shown to us. My intent is not to bash specific leaders or their abilities per se. Instead, it is to point out the truth. Hindsight is indeed 20/20, but should we not course-correct understanding now just how bad things have become?

Of course, there are those who could argue that our decline began with Woodrow Wilson. This is a valid debate, and I can concede to the idea that, at the very minimum, Wilson laid the groundwork for the actual attack by FDR. Either way, together, their “policies” fundamentally destroyed what our founders wanted.

The basic idea of this article is to understand that in order to repair what has been broken, we must first figure out exactly what has been broken and what it means to the overall foundation. After all, you cannot fix a problem unless you identify that problem.

We have to understand and agree that equal liberty requires that no one has the right to rule another without that other’s consent. The Republic is freedom. The Republic is true equality. The Republic is power in the hands of the people. The Republic is a reduction or elimination of the perceived and actually received tyranny. And more than anything, the Republic allows for self-reliance and self-responsibility.

Yes, many in this great nation no longer respect or want the Republic. Still, this childish position does not negate the intent of what was fought and died for by the founders, nor does it negate the responsibility to ensure its place for future generations. We are NOT a Democracy.

Of course, there are those who would call us a Christian nation as well. Sure, roughly  70% of the people in this nation are Christian, but over 50% of the population is female, and over 50% of the workforce is female. Does that mean we are a “Feminine Nation“? Of course not.

Furthering that point, one would have to ask exactly which sect of Christianity we would be if we were a Christian nation. Quaker, Catholic, Protestant, Calvinist, etc.? This idea just seems silly, considering that many of the writers of our founding documents were Deist or Unitarian. Of course, this is probably the first time many of you have heard such a notion, and that is okay. This will be one of many revelations during your reading – if you choose to read other articles.

Here is a hint: When you research guys like Benjamin Franklin, Ethan Allen, George Washington, James Madison, John Locke, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, etc., it becomes rather clear that things are not always as they appear. Furthermore, it becomes clear that public education often teaches a narrative, not truth. I’ll conclude by saying this: it just helps to know about the foundation to protect or build upon it. This is like the idea that you cannot support, love, defend, or exercise something you have not read.

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Did you enjoy this article? You might also like my article titled “FDR – Will Live In Infamy.”