Wednesday, January 05, 2005

My Response to Dr. Williams at Townhall.com

Dr. Williams,

Thank you for your amazing analysis of the founders basis for government in a republican form of Government. I agree whole heartedly that this nation was intended to be a republic.

Now before, I give my opinion let me say that I am just a young man and student of history who lacks the experience and education that you bring after your many years as a spokesman for liberty.

However I belive that you are wrong to refer to the current state of our nation as a republic since Mr. Lincoln and his followers stole that vision and by giving the federal government the ability to prevent secession.

This can be evidenced by exploring the admendments passed in the wake of the Civil War. (ended 1865)

14th Amendment (1866)– Eliminated property ownership as a responsibility of voters and based voting on age alone.
15th Amendment (1869) – Centralized citizenship from a state responsibility to a national responsibility.
16th Amendment (1909) – Centralized ability of national government to levy taxes on all sources of income.
17th Amendment (1912) – Election of senators transfer from State Legislator to general population

These are not admendments passed to protect a republic of states, instead it was a short path to a national democracy. Within 50 years power had been transfered from the individuals to the centralized national authority.

I believe that Mr. Lincoln was working within the spirirt of the Declaration of Independence when he gave emmancapated the slaves. However the spirirt he created by mandating membership of the individual states in the national union by force, should be seen as the moment where we ceased to be a republic and instead became a democracy.

Please address how we should continue to view ourselves as a republic inlight of these admendments, and our current state of political power?

No comments: