“The nearer the power to enact laws and control public servants lies with the great body of the people, the more nearly does a government take unto itself the form of a republic -- not in name alone, but in fact.”

Republic referes itself to 'federalism' or the prevalence of decentralized political power .. so that the entire population can get politically functional.

Amen!

Bad laws are passed from the local level up to the federal level. Check out "The Institute for Justice" to see how much freedom is lost at the local, county and state levels.

So true. Jefferson referred to a republican form of government as republics within republics. The county is the first republic with the County Sheriff as the highest official. Then the county republics are rolled up into State republics and the State republics federated into a federal republic. This is the distribution of power, not the centralization of it. The federal government has no jurisdiction in county matters -- at least that was the way it was supposed to be. Each State is in fact its own sovereign nation, and federal government is supposed to be like the UN, not the Queen.

A republican form of government begins its existence from the individual sovereign at nature's law. All other executed forms of power is usurpation and a configuration of bondage. The County body politic is given its authority as an extension of the individual sovereigns united. The county is representative of the family with cities being members thereof. Such sovereign counties then extend their authority to the State and so on. Today's usurpation is 180 degrees out of balance and structure. The difference between a republican form of government and all others is; the republican form of government recognizes "law" that already exists and passes codes, ordinances, regulations, rules, statutes, etc. in harmony with nature's law to advance and protect the individual sovereign's inalienable rights and liberty. All other forms of government perceive carnal / despotic man to be a god with ability to create law (enabling absolute usurpation).