Note: The following column was published by the Detroit News on Sunday, August 17

You hear it all the time on the news: “Our democracy is under attack.”

Politicians talk about “saving democracy” or “defending democracy.” It sounds nice. But here’s the truth most folks don’t hear anymore: America is not actually a democracy.

We are a republic — specifically, a constitutional republic — and that’s a pretty important difference. Understanding it could help us protect the freedoms we all hold so dear.

So, what’s the difference?

In a pure democracy, everyone votes on everything. The majority always wins. Think of it like this: if 10 neighbors vote on what kind of car people in the neighborhood have to drive and six say electric, then everyone has to drive an electric car no matter what the other four want or if an electric car will not work for a particular person. That’s direct majority rule.

But in a republic, we don’t vote on every single thing ourselves. People vote for other people (such as representatives and senators) who then go to serve and make decisions on their behalf. There are rules they must follow, like the U.S. and Michigan Constitutions, that protect everyone’s rights — even if you’re in the minority.

Our Founding Fathers were clear. They believed letting the majority rule all the time could actually be dangerous, especially to smaller groups or less popular opinions.

James Madison, one of the main authors of the Constitution, said pure democracy often leads to “mob rule.” That means the majority can gang up on the minority. So instead, they gave us a republic — a system with checks and balances to make sure power doesn’t get out of hand.

In Michigan we have a mix of both. While we elect people to represent us at the city, township, county and state level, we also have ballot initiatives that allow our citizens to vote directly on proposed law changes.

These days, a lot of folks complain that the system doesn’t always seem “fair.” For example, states with smaller populations like Wyoming get the same number of senators as a state such as California with tens of millions of people. The Electoral College means a president can win without the most popular votes, and the Supreme Court can block laws even if most people support them.

But here’s the thing: that’s on purpose. The system is designed to slow things down, protect individual rights and stop big cities or big groups from controlling everything. If we were a pure democracy, places like New York City and Los Angeles would decide everything. Rural states like Michigan and the priorities of residents throughout our communities would get steamrolled. The same principle applies within our state government and a diverse state with 83 different counties. 

Our system protects the little guy. That includes small towns, farmers, truckers and anyone who doesn’t live in a big city. It gives everyone a voice — not just the loudest, richest or most popular.

“Democracy” is a word that sounds good. Nobody wants to be against it. But when politicians say, “Our democracy is in danger,” they often just mean they don’t like the results of an election or a court ruling.

If we throw out the parts of the system that protect against mob rule — such as the Electoral College or the makeup of the Senate — we’re not fixing anything. We’re actually destroying the very thing that keeps America stable and free. We don’t need mob rule. We need law, order, and liberty for everyone.

And that’s what a republic gives us.

We need to teach this in our schools again. We need to remind our kids — and often ourselves — that freedom isn’t just about voting. It’s about having a system where laws matter, rights are protected and government power has limits.

Our great nation was built as a republic, not a democracy — and thank God for that. Our system isn’t perfect, but it’s one of the main reasons we still have freedom of speech, freedom of religion and the right to bear arms.

So next time someone says we need “more democracy,” ask them what they mean. Because majority rule sounds nice, until a majority turns against you.