To the Editor,
What distinguishes a Republic?
The word “Republic” comes from the Latin words “res” and “publicus” which literally mean “The People’s (Publicus) Thing (Res)”.
The Law is the people’s thing.  The common law is the kind of law, based on biblical principles, that the majority of the people understood to be legitimate back when this country was conceived.  It had at its core the idea that liberty was the ability to freely do things that do not harm others.
There is an ancient maxim of law that dates back to Greek times that states simply that if there is “no harm” there is “no crime”.
This maxim has been broken grossly by our current justice system and legislatures.  We now pass “behavioral modification” laws that impose fines or imprisonment for acts that harm no one but violate the letter of the “law”.  This is no longer related to the common law but is what is known as “color of law” – it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, but it ain’t a duck and it doesn’t allow for liberty.
Because our educational system does not teach these simple and basic principles we have lost the “Rule of Law” in this country and thus our liberty.
One thing that proves we no longer live in a “republic” is the fact that we don’t follow even the most basic and clear mandates found in our constitution.  One glaring example that comes to mind is the constitutional requirement that “money” is defined as Gold and Silver and no other kind of money is allowed.  Yet the federal and every single state government in this country use a fiat currency that is controlled by a private corporation known as the “Federal Reserve” which is neither federal nor a reserve.
Sanford “Sandy” Staab
Kooskia