How sad that the poll has no option for the
republican form of government (no connection with "republic").
But that is understandable, thanks to 81 years of intense indoctrination under the world's greatest propaganda ministry.
But you can find snippets hiding about - - -
...
"What I do say is that no man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent. I say this is the leading principle, the sheet-anchor of American republicanism. Our Declaration of Independence says: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."
- - - Abraham Lincoln, Speech at Peoria, Illinois (1854)
Abraham Lincoln - Wikiquote
(Job #1 : secure rights, Job #2 : govern those who consent.)
Who would've thunk it?
Abe WAS in favor of the republican form.
GOVERNMENT (Republican Form of Government)- One in which the powers of sovereignty are vested in the people and are exercised by the people ... directly ...
- - - Black's Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition, P. 695
It will be admitted on all hands that with the exception of the powers granted to the states and the federal government, through the Constitutions, the people of the several states are unconditionally sovereign within their respective states.
Ohio L. Ins. & T. Co. v. Debolt 16 How. 416, 14 L.Ed. 997
In America, however, the case is widely different. Our government is founded upon compact. Sovereignty was, and is, in the people.
[ Glass vs The Sloop Betsey, 3 Dall 6 (1794)]
Sovereignty itself is, of course not subject to law, for it is the author and source of law; but in our system, while sovereign powers are delegated to the agencies of government, sovereignty itself remains with the people, by whom and for whom all government exists and acts.
[Yick Wo vs Hopkins, 118 U.S. 356, 370 (1886)]
In America, the people are the sovereigns, not the government instituted to secure their rights. And if Americans do not consent, they are not "governed."
Citizens are NOT sovereigns
"CITIZEN - ... Citizens are members of a political community who, in their associative capacity, have established or submitted themselves to the dominion of government for the promotion of the general welfare and the protection of their individual as well as collective rights. "
- - - Black's Law Dictionary, Sixth Ed. p.244
"... the term 'citizen,' in the United States, is analogous to the term "subject" in the common law; the change of phrase has resulted from the change in government. ... he who before was a "subject of the King" is now a citizen of the State."
- - - State v. Manuel, 20 N.C. 144 (1838)
SUBJECT - One that owes allegiance to a sovereign and is governed by his laws.
...Men in free governments are subjects as well as citizens; as citizens they enjoy rights and franchises; as subjects they are bound to obey the laws. The term is little used, in this sense, in countries enjoying a republican form of government.
- - - Black's Law Dictionary, Sixth Edition, p. 1425
Citizens have mandatory civic duties (militia duty, jury duty, etc), so they are not sovereigns.
If American people are sovereigns, but citizens are subjects, how could all Americans be "born U.S. citizens" without violating the 13th amendment?
Bet they omitted that in your "American studies" indoctrination!
Restating - the sovereign people were offered the services of a subset of people (“citizens”) who instituted or submitted to a compact (constitution), creating a servant government to (a) secure rights and (b) govern only those who consented (“citizens”). And a group of servant governments entered into a compact (constitution) with another subset of people (“federal citizens”) to create a servant government to facilitate a perpetual UNION for more effective protection (“strength in unity”). Each compact government was delegated powers as described in their organic constitutions, to be exercised by public servants.
Hierarchy:
Sovereign people (republican form)
Government (democratic form - servant to the sovereign people)
*** Federal government + U.S. constitution (servant to the states)
*** State governments + constitutions
Subject citizens (servants to the servant government)
*** State Citizens
*** U.S. citizens / residents