Benjamin Franklin was asked after the Constitutional Convention what type of government we would have. He replied “A Republic, if you can keep it.” Now the question to us is ‘ Can we keep our republic ’ that the Constitution gave us ? .

The founders left us with a set of three competing branches that denied excessive power to any one branch since if one branch grew too strong the others would limit it. This system of checks and balances has worked well for over 200 years. However now it is being challenged as never before.

The judiciary seems to be doing its job in limiting excessive executive power. Courts are limiting some of the President’s actions. The courts are pretty much confined to addressing one issue as it comes before a court. But judicial power is also limited since the President appoints judges as well as our Justice Department.

Of course that power to appoint the Judicial the President is limited by Congress. And Congress has additional powers to limit the Executive Branch.

Since early last year we have had a Republican majority congress that refuses to limit the President. The system of checks and balances that is such an important part of our Constitution does not function well if one branch refuses to check another.

Can we keep the republic designed by the founders to limit the power of any one branch if one of the branches refuses to do its part?

Is the only answer eliminating Republicans in Congress? That is certainly the most obvious answer. We’ll have to see after the elections this year if that in an effective remedy.

Can we keep our republic ?