No, not really; once they are voted in they in theory make the best judgment on the merits of a bill taking into consideration their district - for the practical reason that they most likely will run for re-election. If they are really suppose to just represent their district's wishes they should poll before each vote and then vote the majority.
Originally Posted by discreetgent
Professor Alexander Fraser Tytler, nearly two centuries ago, had this to say about Democracy: "
A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of Government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largess out of public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that Democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always to be followed by a Dictatorship."
A democracy is majority rule and it destroys liberty because there is no law to prevent the majority from trampling individual rights.
A republic is a government autocracy of law under a Constitution. The Constitution holds the government in check and prevents the majority (acting through their government) from violating the rights of the individual.
The founders were aware of the distinct differences between autocracy and democracy, with fixed principles in mind, defined a representative republican form of government. They made a very marked distinction between a republic and a democracy and said repeatedly and emphatically that they had founded a republic. You will not find the word democracy in the Declaration, Constitution or the Bill of Rights.
Rome began as a Republic and fell as a democracy. The mob ruled and the founders called that mobocracy.
John Witherspoon, signer - Pure democracy cannot subsist long nor be carried far into the departments of state – it is very subject to caprice and the madness of popular rage.
Zephaniah Swift, author of America’s first legal text - It may generally be remarked that the more a government resembles a pure democracy the more they abound with disorder and confusion.
Benjamin Rush,
signer - a simple democracy … is one of the greatest of evils.
John Quincy Adams - The experience of all former ages had shown that of all human governments, democracy was the most unstable, fluctuating and short-lived.
Noah Webster - In democracy … there are commonly tumults and disorders … Therefore a pure democracy is generally a very bad government. It is often the most tyrannical government on earth.
James Madison - Democracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security or the rights of property; and have, in general, been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths.
John Adams - Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.
Fisher Ames,
author of the House language for the First Amendment - A democracy is a volcano which conceals the fiery materials of its own destruction. These will produce an eruption and carry desolation in their way. The known propensity of a democracy is to licentiousness which the ambitious call, and the ignorant believe to be liberty !!
Gouverneur Morris,
signer and penman of the Constitution - We have seen the tumult of democracy terminate … as [it has] everywhere terminated, in despotism … Democracy! savage and wild. Thou who wouldst bring down the virtuous and wise to the level of folly and guilt.
Samuel Adams – … it does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds …
Noah Webster - When you become entitled to exercise the right of voting for public officers, let it be impressed on your mind that God commands you to choose for rulers, just men who will rule in the fear of God. The preservation of a Republican government depends on the faithful discharge of this duty; if the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good, so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizens will be violated or disregarded. If a Republican government fails to secure public prosperity and happiness, it must be because the citizens neglect their divine commands and elect bad men to make and administer laws.
In the quote above, a key phrase is "if the citizens neglect their duty." They, the citizens, have been negligent. They are typically called the silent majority, but they are now making their voices heard and the mob doesn't like it.