Governmental identity crisis

Cal Bahr
Guest Columnist
How many times have we heard “We live in a democracy”? Or “It’s a constitutional republic”? Or some combination of “republic,” “democracy,” “constitutional” or “representative”?broadstreet.zone(48036);
Each of these words has an exact meaning. When misused, whether intentionally or not, they convey an unintended meaning.
Example: We elect representatives to all levels of government in a democratic fashion, yet we are not a representative democracy. So what are we? What form of government do we or did we have?
The answer lies in who is the sovereign.
In a democracy, sovereignty lies with the whole. In a representative democracy, those elected to represent a portion of the whole may implement any law they wish as long as 50 percent plus one agree. An example could be that on Tuesdays, everyone must wear a shirt of a certain color, or any money earned in excess of a specific amount will be seized by the

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