In a recent opinion piece, Vice Chair of the Alabama Democratic Party Tabitha Isner criticized Republican Party leaders and conservatives in general for reminding people that America isn’t a democracy — it’s a republic.
Isner huffed about how Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl recently said in a radio interview that the “mainstream media wants us to think of ourselves as a democracy because that leads to socialism.”
She made the claim that Republicans are doing this because it “reflects the fact that those on the Far Right no longer get warm fuzzy feelings thinking about freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, due process, free & fair elections, and the peaceful transition of power.”
What an awful take. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Republicans are responding to Democrats using the term “democracy” as a cudgel to constantly force their left-wing progressive ideology on all Americans. Currently, the Democratic Party is pushing to pack the Supreme Court, abolish the electoral college, and allow illegal immigrants flood the country, all in the name of “democracy.” Not to mention that they want to alter the makeup of the U.S. Senate by making it based on population.
If you point out to them that their progressive wish list might infringe on the independent judiciary, or states’ rights, or even individual rights — they claim you’re against democracy.
What Republicans and conservatives are not in favor of is radically transforming our entire system of government because some poll suggests that 51% of the population thinks an unvetted progressive policy is worth a try.
Isner said it’s Republicans that are against freedom of religion, but it was Democrats that went after a school football coach for praying on the field, and it was Democrats who wanted to force a Christian baker to design a cake against his religious beliefs. They are completely fine with infringing on individual rights if it promotes their own progressive values, and they’ll continue to do so in the name of “democracy.”
Our founding fathers understood that our system of government must be based on checks and balances. Yes, part of that is based on popular opinion, but not all of it. Balance means also protecting the interests of states, minority religious groups, and individuals. It means some in our government are chosen by elections, while others are appointed. It means popular will doesn’t trump the written rule of law. It means balancing states’ interest and national interests. It means popular cities can’t dictate everything that is done in rural areas.
Republicans and conservatives remind people that the United States is a republic in order to protect the whole U.S. Constitution, including the parts that aren’t necessary considered democratic.
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on X @Yaffee
