Democracy column raises reader hackles
Re “Toward a democracy that works,” Aug. 3: Our Founding Fathers studied recorded history and knew democracies always failed for large groups — usually when the majority discovered they could vote themselves money from the public treasury . ...
Democracy only works for small groups; such as clubs, PTAs, villages and others that do not possess enforcement authority over the minority. The word “democracy” comes from the Greek words “demos” — the people — and “kratie” — rule. Majority rule. A lynch mob is democracy in action. There is one dissenting vote at the end of the rope.
The writer, Rob Baker, also stated the president had to rely on executive orders, bureaucratic rulemaking and agreements with state and local governments to fulfill his policies and agenda. Since when was the president’s policy and agenda the law of the land?
Article I, Section 1, of the Constitution states, “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.”
Simply stated, that means only Congress can make law; and Congress cannot delegate its legislative power to anyone, including the president, other government agencies or branches of government.
Wittenberg political science teacher Rob Baker says Americans deserve a “government that works.” But it’s quite obvious from reading his columns that the only government he thinks works is one with a Democrat president and veto-proof Democrat majority in Congress. Therefore, the last time that government “worked” was when newly elected President Obama and his veto-proof Democrat Congress passed the $787 billion Recovery and Reinvestment stimulus package and the Affordable Care Act with virtually no Republican support. The fact that the majority of Americans disapproved of the ACA is apparently unimportant . ...
I’m sure Baker follows a very unbiased approach in teaching his political science students. Do ya think?
Once again the obstructive, inconvenient U.S. Constitution impedes the objectives of liberals such as Dr. Baker. If only it didn’t exist. Unfortunately, the president must actually swear to uphold it. President Obama has repeatedly endeavored to ignore the Constitution and impose his dictatorial executive orders in an attempt to amend the Constitution with disregard and circumvention of congressional authority.
Ultimately, the exchange of a government handout for a vote is so lucrative that socialism will eventually overtake this country and Dr. Baker’s “progress on our behalf ” will achieve success. The concrete actuality of socialism will shock all who have ignored its consequence and have chosen instead to shed personal responsibility.
When members of Congress don’t simply surrender to the opposing party’s demands, democracy is actually working.