A Republic No More

After the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked, Well, Doctor, what have we gota Republic or a Monarchy?” Franklin’s response: A Republicif you can keep it.” This book argues: we couldn’t keep it. A true republic privileges the common interest above the special interests. To do this, our Constitution established an elaborate system of checks and balances that disperses power among the branches of government, which it places in conflict with one another. The Framers believed that