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This podcast is a continuation of Mike Winthers series of lectures on biblical principles in government. This is the first half of the third part. You can find links to the previous lectures below. Mike kicks off this lecture with questions about the nature and challenges of democracy. He begins with some interesting quotes from the book, Financial Reckoning Day.
“Mobs can only hold simple ideas in their minds. Ideas so belittled by the dumbing down process that they are a little more than myths. That was as true of democracy as it was of communism. The important point is that democracy allows for increased participation in politics and it spoils.”
What does this mean? Isn’t democracy the best form of government? Mike raises some interesting questions about democracy and how we should implement our governmental systems. We need to understand how to have a system that is based on scripture and follows God’s principles of government.
You’ll Learn:
- [00:39] Mike talks about the book, Financial Reckoning Day. Some of the information isn’t relevant anymore but he talks about the idea of democracies.
- [01:34] “Mobs can only hold simple ideas in their minds. Ideas so belittled by the dumbing down process that they are a little more than myths. That was as true of democracy as it was of communism. The important point is that democracy allows for increased participation in politics and it spoils.”
- [02:08] Democracy increases participation in politics. Democracy also increases participation in the spoils.
- [03:12] The author’s hypothesis is that the most tyrannical form of government is not a monarchy. He’s going to say it’s not an oligarchy. He’s going to say that the most radical form of government is a democracy.
- [04:11] Mass participation makes the government more tyrannical and more resistant to change. Alexis de Tocqueville also agreed with this.
- [05:19] Tyrant Kings didn’t have the resources to widely enforce their edicts.
- [05:49] Democracy invites people into the governing class and turns them into unpaid agents of the government and makes them their own oppressors.
- [06:09] In a democracy, citizens are part of the government by voting. This system makes us more willing to accept the outcome of the majority.
- [07:06] Mike quotes Alexis de Tocqueville.
- [09:01] In the 1800s, there was a view to push America towards a democracy as opposed to a Republic.
- [11:21] The Plato versus Paul difference on the sin nature of man.
- [13:14] We have three branches of government and the legislative branch is broken down into the House and the Senate.
- [14:31] Isaiah 33:22.
- [15:41] Are presidents actually elected? Don’t forget about the Electoral College.
- [16:03] Each state gets a certain number of electors that choose the president. This number of electors is based on the number of Senate seats and the number of House seats. There are always two senators.
- [17:28] George Washington was chosen by the Electoral College which usually consisted of the retired legislature.
- [18:36] 48 of our 50 states now choose electors by popular vote.
- [27:16] By design, the Supreme Court has the least accountability of any of the legislative bodies.
- [28:05] The idea of relative power. The founding fathers did not intend separate but equal.
- [28:48] The Constitution grants the power of each body. It’s a doctrine of enumerated powers which means it lists the powers of each branch of government.
- [30:21] The founding fathers understood that there was a problem with having a king. There is value in having a strong chief executive.
- [35:30] Mike talks about the idea of having a mixed form of government with accountability and what the founding fathers originally intended.
- [42:07] There’s a clear distinction between power and the authorization of power. Previous lectures have focused on power and authority.
- [45:07] Political parties control the delegates.
- [46:34] George Washington talked about the dangers of political parties. Like-minded people get together.
- [50:21] Political parties control the primary process. The rules vary from state to state.
- [51:09] Mike talks about the pitfalls of empowering the political parties too much.