Does a Republican form of government reflect the public’s will?

New class rule: total silence for 1 st 20 minutes of class – Direct: everyone votes – Indirect: Your rep. votes (ME) – Did I represent you?

Should Americans have the right to vote on critical/controversial issues? – Congress? – Judiciary?

Direct Democracy Devices Initiative – not in PA – Petition on ballot measures or proposals to enact new laws or state constitutional amendments – 24 states – Proposal on ballot – Ex: cannabis, healthcare, prayer

Referendum – not in PA – Proposal to repeal a law – Citizen petition – 24 states – ex: abortion, personhood Recall – not in PA – Allows citizens to remove & replace a public official before the end of his term in office-(Grey CA; Walker WI) – Specific grounds for removal not needed – 19 states – ex: CO, CA, WI

More democracy? Intentions? Tyranny of the Majority? – DeTocqueville: democracy, nothing can resist the “absolute sovereignty of the majority” – Am belief: superiority of the intelligence of a group over an individual- – Interests of the many are to be preferred to the interests of the few

James Madison’s thoughts on majority rule / minority rights – Federalist #10 – Solution: republic form of government instead of a democracy Allows for many groups/many opinions

Constitutional Principles Equality of all persons – Equal opportunity – Equality before the law Majority Rules/Minority Rights – Rights of the minority must be recognized

Necessity of Compromise – Give/take among competing interests. – Equality of all opinions, process of achieving a majority agreement Individual Freedom – “The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins” Oliver Wendell Holmes Worth of the Individual – Importance, regardless of station

American Society changing characteristics individualism / sense of community moving from / towards Assimilated Melting pot Associated Tossed salad

Are American core ideals so exceptional that only persons who share those values should be allowed citizenship? Divided nation culturally? What unites America / Americans?

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