The Problem with Authoritarian Democracy

I quote the following from Representative Ron Paul of Texas essay, Sorry, Mr. Franklin, “We’re All Democrats Now” (The text in brackets are mine.):

Unfortunately, too many people confuse the democratic elections of leaders of a republic for democracy by accepting the rule of majority opinion in all affairs. For majorities to pick leaders is one thing. It is something quite different for majorities to decide what rights are, to redistribute property, to tell people how to manage their personal lives, and to promote undeclared, unconstitutional wars. [That's Communism!]

The majority is assumed to be in charge today and can do whatever it pleases. If the majority has not yet sanctioned some desired egregious action demanded by special interests, the propaganda machine goes into operation, and the pollsters relay the results back to the politicians who are seeking legitimacy in their endeavors. The rule of law and the Constitution have become irrelevant, and we live by constant polls.

This trend toward authoritarian democracy was tolerated because, unlike a military dictatorship, it was done in the name of benevolence, fairness, and equity. The pretense of love and compassion by those who desire to remold society and undermine the Constitution convinced the recipients, and even the victims, of its necessity. Since it was never a precipitous departure from the republic, the gradual erosion of liberty went unnoticed. ["The road to hell is paved with good intentions."]

But it is encouraging that more and more citizens are realizing just how much has been lost by complacency. The resolution to the problems we face as a result of this profound transition to pure democracy will be neither quick nor painless. This transition has occurred even though the word “democracy” does not appear in the Constitution or in the Declaration of Independence, and the Founders explicitly denounced it.

Over the last hundred years, the goal of securing individual liberties within the framework of a constitutional republic has been replaced with incessant talk of democracy and fairness.

When I say similar things, I'm called a bigot, smug, and an asshole. When an odd congressman from Texas, who happens to be running for President, says it, he's just a weird, old, white guy.

We don't live in a true democratic republic, that is, a republic where everyone's rights are respected. We live in a state of "mob mentality" where the majority does not respect the rights of others. If everyone voted to jump off of a bridge, there would be law passed to make sure you jumped off that bridge. In fact, the government would drag you out of your house and arrest you for not jumping off of the bridge or take you to a bridge and push you off of it.

"Will you please jump off the bridge, Miss? Or, I will be forced to shoot you or arrest you." One way or another, you're jumping off that bridge. Is this democracy?

No. This is a dictatorship by the people of the people. That is not what the Founders of this country intended, or Abraham Lincoln.