Monday, November 17, 2008

Gingrich on "gay and secular fascism."

It'd be nice to have republican commentators who actually had a reasonable grasp of this whole "republican form of government" thing:

Did you notice how Gingrich invoked the popular will here? That's cute. Our My old friend, James Madison, had something to say about it:
When a majority is included in a faction, the form of popular government, on the other hand, enables it to sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens. To secure the public good and private rights against the danger of such a faction, and at the same time to preserve the spirit and the form of popular government, is then the great object to which our inquiries are directed...By what means is this object attainable? Evidently by one of two only. Either the existence of the same passion or interest in a majority at the same time must be prevented, or the majority, having such coexistent passion or interest, must be rendered, by their number and local situation, unable to concert and carry into effect schemes of oppression.
-Federalist #10

Shorter Madison: Where fundamental rights are concerned, the popular will can pound sand.

1 comment:

bjkeefe said...

You get my vote for Shorter of the Week.