State Rep. John Mills’ comments in the Oct. 3, 2022, edition of The Brookings Register warrant a response. Mills’ asserted the belief of many ultraconservatives that the U.S. was not founded as a democracy but as a republic. He further stated that civics education in the U.S. should emphasize that our system of governance is that of a republic and not a democracy.

I do not dispute the claim that our founders endorsed the creation of a republic or a republican form of governance. In so doing they clearly rejected a system of hereditary or monarchical rule. They further expressed concern about the virtue of direct participatory democracy because direct democracy lacked checks on the power of a majority to suppress or harm political minorities. In lieu of direct participatory democracy, the framers advanced constitutional representative democracy or a republican form of democracy in which ultimate power is vested in the people (We the people in order to…) who through free elections choose governing officials who act on behalf of the people. The elected officials, in turn, are subject to constitutional limitations including the rule of law. 

It can be argued correctly that our framers provided for the creation of a republic defined as a constitutional representative democracy.

I wish this were just a distinction based on semantics but I fear there is more to the argument John Mills is making. By insisting that our system of governance is not a democracy, he and his fellow believers are free to attack the principles of modern liberal democracy while simultaneously claiming to be the finest of loyal Americans. 

Those modern liberal democratic principles include (1) adherence to the rule of law by all governing officials including the highest of elected officials; (2) acceptance of majority rule in elections (peaceful transfer of power) and policymaking (3) free and open periodic elections to hold governing officials accountable to the people; (4) political equality or the right of all adults regardless of one’s station in life to register to vote, to vote, to have their votes counted equally and to seek and to serve in public office; (5) the right of all to criticize those who govern without fear of reprisal.

If Rep. Mills wishes to argue that our system of governance is something less than the principles enumerated above, he can sleep well at night knowing our democracy protects his right to do so. However, let us work to prevent his beliefs from becoming a part of a mandated curriculum in civics education.