FEAR OF A MAGA HAT:

Madison and his fellow Founders gifted us this republic, but we will fail to heed Ben Franklin's charge to "keep it" if our representatives persist in treating it like a pure democracy. Those entrusted with great political power cannot act as mere vessels of public opinion; they are tasked with leadership, with refining the views of their constituents.

Voters have lives to lead, jobs to keep, and families to feed. They are not meant to live and breathe politics. So it makes sense that their opinions on public affairs -- while often quite reasonable at heart -- may be rather rough around the edges and misguided in certain important respects. The role of the elected representative is to harmonize the interests and passions of his constituents with the dictates of reason and the common good. This requires a certain independence of mind and spirit, as well as a hefty dose of prudence. In the famous words of Edmund Burke: "Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion."

A republic cannot persist if our elected representatives fail to summon the requisite reason and courage to exercise judgment. The violence at the Capitol was a wake-up call: It's time we stopped forsaking the virtues of republicanism for the vices of direct democracy.

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