Thomas
                         P.O. Box 27217
                     Washington, D.C.  20038
                         (202) 462-0757
                                             December 1, 1991
****name****
Commission for Responsive Democracy
************
************

Dear ****:

I have read, with great interest, a collection of literature --
fact sheets, resolutions, etc. -- which was transmitted to me
through an attendee to your conference of September 13, 1991.

Particularly heartening was a flyer entitled "Charge to Commission
for Responsive Democracy.  The fact that this document ended with
twelve thoughtful questions seems to promise that by "progressive"
you mean "open-minded."

In keeping with my working hypothesis ("Understanding demands that
words be assigned identical meanings"), my first question is, what
do you mean by "democracy"?

"Democracies," according to Federalist Paper # 10, "have ever been
spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found
incompatible with personal security or the rights of property...." 
As opposed to "(a) republic, by which (Madison meant) a government
in which the scheme of representation takes place."

Assuming Madison's definitions, although you refer to "responsive
democracy," the tenor of your 12 questions appears to reflect a
desire for "responsive republicanism."

While Federalist Paper # 10 sets out some rather compelling
arguments against democracy, your questions imply that there may
also be some strong arguments against a republic.

Your paper quotes Rep. Dan Glickman as saying, "It is very
difficult to have ideological differences when the same people are
giving you money."  

Which raises the question, how does the Commission for Responsive
Democracy imagine that the creation of a third party will alter the
axiom, "power corrupts," or, if the Commission does not consider
such an alteration to be necessary, why?

As I am anxious to enter your discussion, it is hoped you will make
an effort to answer these questions.

                     For Unity and Harmony,