We've seen this constant plaint on Saturday of Democrats talking about the "threat to our democracy" because of the riot on Jan. 6, three years ago. 

In a speech on Friday, Joe Biden tried to use the riot as a hammer to demonize former President Donald Trump, in large measure because Biden can't run on his own record of failure. Biden's speech was a trainwreck, and he falsely claimed that he went to the funerals of police officers who died as a result of the riot.  

Biden Delivers Angry Attack on Trump and Jan. 6 in Valley Forge Speech, but Trips Over Reality

Biden's Funny and Insulting Attempt to Compare Himself to George Washington

That was pretty bad, but Biden wasn't the only Democrat who debased himself by spreading false information. 

As Rebeccas Downs at our sister site Townhall reported, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) posted on X talking about the "insurrectionists" putting our "democracy" in jeopardy. 

“A democracy, if you can keep it,” said Ben Franklin.

January 6, 2021, was a stark reminder of just how fragile our democracy is.

It is on each and every one of us to never forget the actions that led to that day so we ensure history does not repeat itself.

— Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (@SenatorShaheen) January 6, 2024

Three years ago, insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the legitimate 2020 election results. They assaulted and injured police officers. They threatened the lives of elected officials. They put our democracy in jeopardy.

“A democracy, if you can keep it,” said Ben Franklin. January 6, 2021, was a stark reminder of just how fragile our democracy is.  It is on each and every one of us to never forget the actions that led to that day so we ensure history does not repeat itself.

As many people pointed out in their responses on X, it was not an insurrection. Pretty poor insurrection with unarmed people and no one ever charged for it. 

Now, if what she said about democracy doesn't sound quite right in your recollection of history, you're right, because that isn't what Ben Franklin said. Franklin said, "A republic, if you can keep it."  A significant statement about the nature of our country and how important it was to maintain it. Shaheen even earned a Community Note correcting her on what Franklin said.

How does anyone not know that, much less a United States Senator (or whoever's running her account)? 

Franklin's statement was very important -- he was trying to convince people to sign the Constitution when he said that even if it might be flawed, this was the way to go. 

A constitutional republic is a type of democracy, but it's a much better one because it protects the rights of the minority by operating under a rule of law. A democracy that is not a constitutional republic may operate at the whim of the mob and majority rule. So it's a form in which the people are easily manipulated and the collective matters more than individual rights. 

It seemed the talking points went out, not just with Shaheen and Biden, but with Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) as well.

Three years ago, our Capitol was attacked.

I was there when it happened. We all witnessed it.

And yet, some Members of Congress continue to deny what took place — and want to rewrite history.

Our democracy is still fragile — and we must constantly work to defend it.

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 6, 2024

So when Democrats keep saying "democracy" rather than "republic," one has to ask if they are playing this game where they want to miscast not just what Franklin said but the very form of government that our founders set out for us to protect us from the evils of the mob -- the collective -- because the Democrats welcome the rise of control by the mob. 

Never forget that those who seek to dominate your life and take away your freedoms are morons https://t.co/dq0zvTNbOz

— Buck Sexton (@BuckSexton) January 7, 2024