Why is obeying the laws important to preserving democratic government?

--A pure democracy cannot be preserved. A pure democracy will always degenerate into either anarchy or socialism because the rule of the people subordinates laws. Laws can only be enforced in a republic.

In a democracy, the majority will always vote for that which benefits the majority. In a republic, laws prevent the majority from destroying the minority.

--The United States is a republic based upon democratic principals. In a true democracy, every thing would be decided by a popular vote. Rather, a more efficient and enduring system is to elect representatives that reflect the goals of the majority and have these representatives create and enforce laws that conform to the basic principals of the country. In the US, those principals are defined by the US Constitutions and the various powers promulgated there from.