And to the Republic for which it Stands...

...and to the Republic for which it stands..."

Hi. :D I feel really good today. I read with the kids again the 12th principle (“The United States of America Shall be a Republic”) from the book “The 5000 year leap – Principles of Freedom 101” As I read it I felt so good about what I was teaching my kids that it filled me with joy. I remember one of my kids receiving a Priesthood blessing in which he was told that the day would come when he would look back on his school days and realize that the really important things… he learned at home.

As I read to my sons emotions often flood over me as we learn and discuss principles of such vital importance. I feel SO BLESSED to have had the opportunity to home school my children all these years. I thank my Father in Heaven for giving me the courage and faith to undertake this great challenge.

I teach all three of my sons together, so the oldest are learning Government at the age of 17, and the youngest is only 13 (we have studied it some off and on through the years so they should get a great grasp of it now). I’m thankful that Levi has enough interest in such topics to keep up with his brothers, because it sure helps me to teach them all at once!

Today Yesterday we reviewed the basics of a Democracy, Republic, and Democratic-Republic. Since so many Americans don't seem to know which form of government was written into our Constitution (including a few of our presidents), and since our Constitution is what granted our country so much freedom and prosperity, I feel this is an important topic for Americans to understand when voting in leaders for our country.

In a Democracy everyone helps to make the laws regardless of whether or not they have time to study the issues or even care about them. The reality is that day to day living gets people so busy that most people don’t have time to study most of the issues adequately. This is one of many reasons why a pure Democracy does not serve a society well. In 1928 the US Army printed a training manual to help clear up the confusion people had between Republic and Democratic governments (though many still haven't learned to know the difference). In the definition of a Democracy the manual points out that majority rule even if based upon passion, impulse or prejudice - with no regard to consequences (among other negatives not mentioned here). James Madison had this to say about Democracy;

"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."

 (Federalist papers, No. 10 p. 81.)

In a Republic the people choose legislatures/representatives to make the laws; if these representatives are chosen wisely, we can have laws written by people that have time to study the issues in depth. Because of this, in a Republic those making the laws can make more informed and wiser decisions than would the general public or those under a pure Democracy. The government manual points out the many benefits of a Republic government among which include that a Republic government has respect for law, order, individual rights etc, and is also one in which does NOT result in either Tyranny or Anarchy.

Because the founders combined the Democratic principle of mass participation so far as voting is concerned, and combined that with the Republic principle of voting for representatives to make the laws and administer the government rather than having the masses make the laws directly - the United States have what is called a Democratic-Republic. This is very different from a pure Democracy...

Because of these and other benefits of a Republic government, I am very thankful that our Founding Fathers carefully structured our government and wish that society wasn’t so confused (which is obvious since many very wrongly think our country was founded upon Democracy). Our founders hoped we would have a clear understanding of the difference between a Democracy and a Republic and recognize that they had established a Republic government (as stated in our pledge of allegiance and as is evident by the structure of government as outlined in our Constitution); this is the government which made it possible for America to prosper financially; this is the government that has preserved for us so many wonderful freedoms. This is the government we need to preserve if we are to retain the freedoms which were granted through it!

Well, enough for now. Thank God for our founding fathers and our wonderful free country! And thank God for home schooling! :) Talk to you another day...

Corine :D