To the Editor
Democracy or Republic?
What government did we create?  Consider a posse of 25 riders who catch the ‘bad guy’ and vote: guilty or not guilty.  Everyone votes.  The vote is 25-1 he is guilty and ‘bad guy’ is punished. This is a democracy or majority/mob rule.  In a republic, the posse of 25 also apprehends the ‘bad guy’.  Again everyone votes.  The final is vote 25-1 he is guilty.  However the elected sheriff arrives and says we will "follow due process".  “He has liberties we all agreed upon.  Present your evidence to a jury of his peers”.  The sheriff adds “How do you know you haven't apprehended his identical twin”?  What government did we create?  Consider that the word ‘democracy’ isn’t written in the Declaration of Independence or the US Constitution.  Nor is ‘democracy’ found in the Constitutions of the 50 states.  It’s true that locally we have a democratic process, but we have a Constitutional Republic at the State and National level.   A Constitutional Republic is much better than a democracy because it recognizes inherent individual liberties of one and all.  A democracy, however, only recognizes what the majority, or mob, recognizes. 
Scott Perrin
Cottonwood

To the Editor
Who Can Violate the Constitution?
A private person is governed by common law and civil law.  However, strictly speaking, a private person cannot ‘violate’ the Constitution.  Elected officials, however, can violate the Constitution.  The Constitution is the ‘Law’ by which they swear to operate, i.e., the rules they agree to play by.  In fact, every elected candidate swears an oath to support these rules.  In Idaho, they say, "I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Idaho, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of (insert office) according to the best of my ability."  What does ‘unconstitutional’ mean?  ‘Unconstitutional’ is when elected officials assert it is okay not to play by the Constitution rule book.  They accept dribbling ‘out of bounds’ or ‘travelling’.  But even the fans, referees, and players know changing the rules mid game is wrong.
Scott Perrin
Cottonwood