BVP and me

My column this week is entitled "The limits of democracy," in which I discuss Bob Vander Plaats and the ineradicable conflict of liberal individualism and democratic self-governance in liberal democracies:

For Vander Plaats and other social conservatives, morality is the bedrock of a prosperous society. As he said at the Sycamore Mall on Wednesday, “This thing called a republic hinges on two inseparable rungs: religion and morality.”

Social conservatives talk about the importance of “traditional marriage” and “family values.” At issue, though, is whether the electorate can impose its conception of morality without unduly limiting personal liberties.

It’s a precarious balance, indeed...

I want a society in which citizen power — rather than technocratic elites and high-powered lobbyists — rules the day. I want a society in which due process and agency aren’t limited to the political process but extend into the workplace. In sum, I want a vibrant democratic society that doesn’t infringe upon inviolate rights.

Vander Plaats is right: We do need more democracy.

But not as a means to take away minority rights.