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December 3, 2009

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Letters: Voters should shape politics in this republic

Friday, March 1, 2002 | 4:21 a.m.

Edward Hayes' Feb. 24 letter, "Making mockery of our system of democracy," needs a response.

First and most basic of all, America is not a democracy. It's a republic. A different system of government entirely. You love democracy? Then let's have a simple majority rule vote on where to store the nation's nuclear waste. OK?

Second, the Founders knew full well the dangerous deals they had made, particularly regarding slavery, to get the country going.

They were 18th century men who did the very best they could at that moment in history. For us to sit as 21st century beneficiaries of the republican (small r) system they gave us, smugly criticizing them, is hubris at its worst.

As for money controlling the political process, whose fault is that? Are we really sick of being governed by the monied interests? Then why do we keep voting for the monied candidates? In almost every election at every level of government aren't there candidates offering themselves to us free of the money connections? Yes there are. Do we ever elect them? No we don't, do we?

Don't blame the monied interests for exercising their legitimate constitutional rights. It's our fault for not exercising ours.

KNIGHT ALLEN

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