[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 42 (Wednesday, March 16, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             MAJORITY RULE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. PETE OLSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 16, 2016

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to interact with some of the 
brightest students in the 22nd Congressional District who serve on my 
Congressional Youth Advisory Council. I have gained much by listening 
to the high school students who are the future of this great nation. 
They provide important insight from across the political spectrum that 
sheds a light on the concerns of our younger constituents. Giving voice 
to their priorities will hopefully instill a better sense of the 
importance of being an active participant in the political process. 
Many of the students have written short essays on a variety of topics 
and I am pleased to share them with my House colleagues.
  Claire Jeffress attends Dawson High School in Pearland, Texas. The 
essay topic is: Majority Rule.

       While growing up and learning about the differences between 
     right and wrong, one is often taught about being fair. When 
     being first taught about the majority rule, I was told one 
     uses the majority rule to be fair to all parties involved. 
     Majority rule is defined as a political principle in which 
     the greater percentage of people who share the same view 
     should exercise greater power. Intuitively this makes sense. 
     If most people want to pick Joe to be President, then Joe 
     should be President. However, we must make sure that Majority 
     Rule does not become Majority Tyranny. Nazi Germany is an 
     example of how devastating an impact a brainwashed majority 
     can have on the very lives of a religious minority. Majority 
     rule should only be applied until the point that it infringes 
     on the liberty of another.
       In America, one of the ways we have balanced majority rule 
     with individual rights is that we have enshrined each 
     person's rights in our constitution. In many countries, if 
     the majority does not like what you say, they can stop you 
     from saying your point of view. Here, our right of free 
     speech is protected by the constitution. Similarly, I am 
     entitled to go to church and share my religious beliefs even 
     if others feel differently. The majority is not allowed to 
     vote away my right to speak my opinion or my right to 
     exercise my beliefs. In many other countries, I can be thrown 
     in jail just for sharing my views or going to a church that 
     the majority doesn't believe in. America balances the will of 
     the majority with the rights of the individual by enshrining 
     those rights in our Constitution.
       America also protects the individual by having checks and 
     balances in our three branches of government. Venezuela is a 
     good example of where majority rule can go wrong. The people 
     of Venezuela elected Hugo Chavez as their leader. 
     Unfortunately, it was an example of one person, one vote, one 
     time. Mr. Chavez used his power of the majority to steal and 
     redistribute money from individuals to his majority. He also 
     put many of his own people in the courts to ensure that only 
     his voting majority was protected. People who disagreed with 
     his policies were jailed and had their property confiscated. 
     In America, we have an independent Supreme Court and Congress 
     that can override the President if he tries to violate 
     individual rights in our constitution. I cannot be punished 
     just because I disagree with the President.
       Many people sometimes think of Democracy as a simple 
     example of majority rule. This thinking is too simplistic. 
     Our founding fathers realized that simple majority rule would 
     just lead to another country torn apart by a tyranny of the 
     majority. They ensured individual liberties were protected 
     through our Constitution and three branches of government. 
     Once the individual was protected, the majority could 
     determine our policies and direction.

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