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Does anyone think the the USA is NOT a democracy ?
If so, then why ?
If so, then why ?
We haven't been a true democracy since Bush signed the "Patriot" Act...
We haven't been a true democracy since Bush signed the "Patriot" Act...
Does anyone think the the USA is NOT a democracy ?
If so, then why ?
The US government model was never intended to be a "true democracy."
On paper we are a constitutional republic but in practice... another story entirely.
Does anyone think the the USA is NOT a democracy ?
If so, then why ?
*raises hand*Does anyone think the the USA is NOT a democracy ?
ConstitutionIf so, then why ?
A Republic is a form of democracy. What is your other story entirely? What are we.
Bingo! :thumbs:It has never been a "true" democracy, not since it's inception.
It is a Democratic Republic.
At state and local levels, most offices are filled by direct election. Then they "represent" those who elected them for a term until the next scheduled election.
At the start of this Republic, only Members of the House of Representatives were elected directly. Senators were appointed by State Legislatures, and the President has always been elected by the Electoral College.
Still, even with so many offices elected by popular vote, and even if the President were elected that way...our nation would not yet be a TRUE Democracy.
In a TRUE Democracy ALL decisions are determined by the votes of ALL citizens each and every time any such decision need be made.
Try to imagine 350 million people (much less all the billions on the world) having to vote for every single issue needing to be decided for the "national welfare?"
It has never been a "true" democracy, not since it's inception.
It is a Democratic Republic.
At state and local levels, most offices are filled by direct election. Then they "represent" those who elected them for a term until the next scheduled election.
At the start of this Republic, only Members of the House of Representatives were elected directly. Senators were appointed by State Legislatures, and the President has always been elected by the Electoral College.
Still, even with so many offices elected by popular vote, and even if the President were elected that way...our nation would not yet be a TRUE Democracy.
In a TRUE Democracy ALL decisions are determined by the votes of ALL citizens each and every time any such decision need be made.
Try to imagine 350 million people (much less all the billions on the world) having to vote for every single issue needing to be decided for the "national welfare?"
*raises hand*
Constitution
I believe technically we're a republic that chooses it's representatives via democratic elections.
An actual democracy would make policy decisions directly via vote, instead of our representative voting on our behalf. We have a bit of that at the state and local levels, but not at the national level.
That makes the USA a Representative Democracy
That is a Direct Democracy which has never existed and couldn't exist in anything larger than a workers collective farm or factory.
If that's what you want to call our republic with democratic elections, that's fine with me.
Yep, which is why it seems so strange to have people argue these things so strenuously. They insist it's a democracy, and then immediately start spinning up how that is maybe possibly, technically, almost true.
No, the USA is a REPRESENTATIVE democracy
Many posters will commit an equivocation fallacy and deny the USA is a democracy when they actually mean the USA is not a Direct Democracy, which it isn't.
What is your criteria for a democracy ?
Your OP didn't specify, but thankfully you came prepared to pick nits.
Why is this important or interesting, and not just sort of pedants competition?
Basically what I meant is we are no longer a free country. There aren't many people versed in the nuance between various forms of government so I dumb things down too much sometimes.
Though I have to admit Trump's latest attack on social media is definitely an attack on free speech, that if successful will be a freedom lost.
Because it's not. It's Republic comprise 50 states with democratic governments. Each state democratically elects its own government and, in general, makes its own laws.Does anyone think the the USA is NOT a democracy ?
If so, then why ?
Way longer than that.We haven't been a true democracy since Bush signed the "Patriot" Act...
Yep, and we were set on this path by the Bush regime.
Because it's not. It's Republic comprise 50 states with democratic governments. Each state democratically elects its own government and, in general, makes its own laws.