Interesting conversation you all are having here. The worm has definitely turned since I grew up out in California. We do, in fact, have a Republic at the Federal Government; but not necessarily at the State, County and City levels of governance. There they are free to choose their own form. You can see some of these things that have held over in time in such matters as mineral and water rights associated with real property that differ from State to State. It breaks down to do you actually own the property, or just the right to use it? The Federal Government today looks at States as all being created equal.
As per the right to keep and bear arms as part of the the Bill of Rights pertains to Congress; they can make no law to abridge this right. Some State Constitutions also confirm these right to the citizenry, but again they are given some latitude here that the Feds should not, and do not, have. Discharging a firearm in the city limits comes to mind.
We do have some loony people walking among us today; and many of them are politicians at all levels of governance. From time to time City, County and State laws get enacted that are affront to these rights and they do, and should, be contested in a court of law. Laws are written for a purpose, and I think sometimes us as citizens, and not lawyers, misunderstand this when we here just a piece of a written law. The rancher Bob law in Texas is a good example; there is no Texican peace officer going to mess with rancher Bob openly carrying a firearm on his own property. Not sure the purpose of the law in question, but it has one; say to protect country parks or rest areas on the open interstate.
Some laws come down to how they are enforced, and peace officers can make mistakes too. Worked with a fellow who was sighted for that move over law for emergency vehicles. The law states move over or slow down; the matter was tossed out. And, from what I see out on the highway a lot of drivers don't understand why that law was written the way it was either; they come out of that right lane cutting off faster moving traffic stomping on their brakes. This a good example of a law that needs to be enforced by its intended purpose; and motorist's need to keep in mind that most States have a law about causing another vehicle to take evasive action...
CarolinaChuck