I think it's sad that a Canadian who has learned so much as to be able to type can be so ignorant as to think a republicanism and democracy are mutually exclusive. I think it's sad that Joel of Rochester, Michigan, and George of Ohio so completely miss the point of the quote. The quote is an aphorism, a concise and witty observation that conveys the essential point that for democracy to succeed (be it in a republic or otherwise) it must be tended to by the general population. Like all good aphorisms, it is obvious once stated.