A New England town meeting is the classic example of pure democracy, but it is impractical for a government serving large populations. Representative democracy then becomes the best solution, but it must remain a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, with freedom, justice, and equality for every citizen.
State senators and representatives assume the obligation of honestly representing their constituents exclusively, and adhering to the principle of majority rule. No other interest should in any way compromise this bond.
An authentic representative democracy cannot have:
Clearly, these violations prove Utah is not a functioning representative democracy. Worse, citizens are held hostage by a heartless, entrenched political machine that bends over backwards to please the NRA, ALEC, Exxon Mobil and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while rejecting virtually every wish of the majority by claiming critical social needs are too expensive.
Utah is now an oligarchy sponsored by Tea Party Republicans and controlled by Charles Koch, who detests Social Security, Medicare and public schools. Included in this fiasco are Republican voters who fail to understand what has happened to their once respectable, now perverse, Republican party.
And the tyranny will continue until a majority wakes up and realizes that we the people are not being represented. If we were, we would have well-funded schools, clean air, reasonable gun regulations, 60,000 additional Utahns with health insurance and systems in place to address the inevitable threat of climate change. The dump for radioactive waste and the inland port would be history, along with the Oakland seaport, the Lake Powell pipeline and the special rail line for coal. Little wonder public schools are suffering from lack of funding while financing for bizarre projects is being seriously considered by the legislature.
As long as the Tea Party controls the Republican Party, and remains funded by special interests, citizens will never get what they want or need. The bond between representative and constituents is irretrievably violated and a democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people no longer exists.
Ron Molen
Ron Molen, Salt Lake City, is a retired architect currently painting and writing novels.