SHOULD the U.S. Be a Democracy? (Y/N)

[Dragon]

This is the question that Amelia should have asked in her thread, in my opinion. It gets all confused to ask whether it IS one, because of the observable corruption of democracy by corporate money. Those of us who are part of Occupy or at least agree with the movements aims recognize (and bitch about) that no, the U.S. is not a democracy -- but we think it should be one and is supposed to be one.

So here we go. SHOULD the U.S. be a democracy?

Now, a definition: a government is a DEMOCRACY if its decisions are made with reference to the will of the majority of the people. Democracy takes two forms:

1) Pure or direct democracy, in which the people vote directly on laws or policies.

2) Representative democracy or democratic republic, in which the people elect representatives who then vote on laws or make policies.

 

[Steelplate]

No... I like the Representative Republic we have. I just don't care for Special Interests running the show, just because they fund elections.

 

[Dragon]

No... I like the Representative Republic we have. I just don't care for Special Interests running the show, just because they fund elections.

Did you read my OP? A "representative republic" IS a democracy.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

We are a form of democracy. We democratically elect our major representatives.

 

[westwall]

This is the question that Amelia should have asked in her thread, in my opinion. It gets all confused to ask whether it IS one, because of the observable corruption of democracy by corporate money. Those of us who are part of Occupy or at least agree with the movements aims recognize (and bitch about) that no, the U.S. is not a democracy -- but we think it should be one and is supposed to be one.

So here we go. SHOULD the U.S. be a democracy?

Now, a definition: a government is a DEMOCRACY if its decisions are made with reference to the will of the majority of the people. Democracy takes two forms:

1) Pure or direct democracy, in which the people vote directly on laws or policies.

2) Representative democracy or democratic republic, in which the people elect representatives who then vote on laws or make policies.

No, it should not. The Constitutional Republic we enjoy is the best defender of INDIVIDUAL rights you can have. A pure Democracy is mob rule, pure and simple. Look at the history of ancient Greece, it was better then the rule of kings, but it was no where near as good as what we enjoy.

 

[LibertyForAll]

This is the question that Amelia should have asked in her thread, in my opinion. It gets all confused to ask whether it IS one, because of the observable corruption of democracy by corporate money. Those of us who are part of Occupy or at least agree with the movements aims recognize (and bitch about) that no, the U.S. is not a democracy -- but we think it should be one and is supposed to be one.

So here we go. SHOULD the U.S. be a democracy?

Now, a definition: a government is a DEMOCRACY if its decisions are made with reference to the will of the majority of the people. Democracy takes two forms:

1) Pure or direct democracy, in which the people vote directly on laws or policies.

2) Representative democracy or democratic republic, in which the people elect representatives who then vote on laws or make policies.

nevermind I am confused on your definitions....need coffee....

 

[Dragon]

No, it should not. The Constitutional Republic we enjoy is the best defender of INDIVIDUAL rights you can have. A pure Democracy is mob rule, pure and simple. Look at the history of ancient Greece, it was better then the rule of kings, but it was no where near as good as what we enjoy.

Another one who didn't read the OP, even though you friggin' quoted it. Once more:

Now, a definition: a government is a DEMOCRACY if its decisions are made with reference to the will of the majority of the people. Democracy takes two forms:

1) Pure or direct democracy, in which the people vote directly on laws or policies.

2) Representative democracy or democratic republic, in which the people elect representatives who then vote on laws or make policies.

Comprendez-vous maintenant ? I am not talking exclusively about PURE or DIRECT democracy. A democratic republic IS a democracy.

 

[Steelplate]

Ok... I vote for a Representative Democracy. One where Constituents vote on their representation to be their voice.

However, my issue still stands that as long as Special Interests fund elections, we will never be anything more than a Corporatist Plutocracy.

 

[LibertyForAll]

I voted no but I should have voted yes based on what you clarified above.

 

[Jackson]

We have a form of democracy that works well. for us.
We need the Constitutional Republic to provide the checks and balances or constitution uniquely provides.

"The critical difference lies in the fact that a Constitutional Republic has a Constitution that limits the powers of the government. It also spells out how the government is structured, creating checks on its power and balancing power between the different branches."

Ultimately, in our government, the power is always lead back to the people and no part of the government usurps the power over another.

 

[Steelplate]

We have a form of democracy that works well. for us.
We need the Constitutional Republic to provide the checks and balances or constitution uniquely provides.

"The critical difference lies in the fact that a Constitutional Republic has a Constitution that limits the powers of the government. It also spells out how the government is structured, creating checks on its power and balancing power between the different branches."

yeah... the Constitution works well....For people with money and power... because they can manipulate it for their gain... when poor, working and Middle Class people try... they get labeled Communists.

 

[westwall]

No, it should not. The Constitutional Republic we enjoy is the best defender of INDIVIDUAL rights you can have. A pure Democracy is mob rule, pure and simple. Look at the history of ancient Greece, it was better then the rule of kings, but it was no where near as good as what we enjoy.

Another one who didn't read the OP, even though you friggin' quoted it. Once more:

Now, a definition: a government is a DEMOCRACY if its decisions are made with reference to the will of the majority of the people. Democracy takes two forms:

1) Pure or direct democracy, in which the people vote directly on laws or policies.

2) Representative democracy or democratic republic, in which the people elect representatives who then vote on laws or make policies.

Comprendez-vous maintenant ? I am not talking exclusively about PURE or DIRECT democracy. A democratic republic IS a democracy.

I worded my response exactly as it needed to be as your definitions were too loose and could lead to misinterpretation.

 

[Jackson]

We have a form of democracy that works well. for us.
We need the Constitutional Republic to provide the checks and balances or constitution uniquely provides.

"The critical difference lies in the fact that a Constitutional Republic has a Constitution that limits the powers of the government. It also spells out how the government is structured, creating checks on its power and balancing power between the different branches."

yeah... the Constitution works well....For people with money and power... because they can manipulate it for their gain... when poor, working and Middle Class people try... they get labeled Communists.

They have a one man one vote like everyone else.

 

[Dragon]

I worded my response exactly as it needed to be as your definitions were too loose and could lead to misinterpretation.

So from this, you reject the idea that a democratic republic is a democracy?

 

[The T]

We have a form of democracy that works well. for us.
We need the Constitutional Republic to provide the checks and balances or constitution uniquely provides.

"The critical difference lies in the fact that a Constitutional Republic has a Constitution that limits the powers of the government. It also spells out how the government is structured, creating checks on its power and balancing power between the different branches."

Ultimately, in our government, the power is always lead back to the people and no part of the government usurps the power over another.

I think what the OP wants to know is should we be what like the EU is...Socialist Democracy.

My answer is Hell NO.

A pure Democracy can best be summed up as MOB RULE.

 

[Wiseacre]

As opposed to what? Socialism, communism, a dictatorship? Of course we should be a democracy, in the form of a democratic republic. What you're suggesting is that we aren't that now, which I think is wrong. Last I checked, every eligible voter gets to vote, gets to support one candidate or party, gets to speak or write his/her opinion.

I think it's true that the big corps and ultra rich guys have a lot of influence, but apparently not as much as you might think considering the GOP won the House in 2010 and Bush was the president from Jan 2001-Jan 2009. And BTW, the unions have an awful lot of power too, no? Pretty sure their campaign donations are close to or exceed what the repubs got.

Am I satisfied with the way our gov't runs now? NO, I suspect not many people are, judging from the approval numbers for Congress and the surveys that show a majority of Americans think we're not on the right track. But we ARE a democracy.

 

[Steelplate]

We have a form of democracy that works well. for us.
We need the Constitutional Republic to provide the checks and balances or constitution uniquely provides.

"The critical difference lies in the fact that a Constitutional Republic has a Constitution that limits the powers of the government. It also spells out how the government is structured, creating checks on its power and balancing power between the different branches."

yeah... the Constitution works well....For people with money and power... because they can manipulate it for their gain... when poor, working and Middle Class people try... they get labeled Communists.

They have a one man one vote like everyone else.

Therein lies the rub, doesn't it? That's why Unions give massive amounts of money to the Dems and Corporations give even more to both parties, and the Koch Brothers fund the Tea Party... to brainwash and sway voters to vote in their direction. Why do they do this? To call in those chips and get favorable legislation that make them and their benefactors money once a candidate is elected.

Get the damned money out of politics... let Politicians run on the issues, have independent fact checkers to point out the lies, and have Publicly funded elections with a hard Spending cap. You'll save hundreds of billions of dollars in useless legislation and government handouts.

 

[Wacky Quacky]

We are a republic, and we should stay that way.

That's not my concern given the op's post though. My concern is why people think that other forms of government are immune to corporate corruption? We could be fascist, communist, monarchy, or a democracy, and corruption would still be the same that it is now. Changing our form of government wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference.

 

[Dragon]

I think what the OP wants to know is should we be what like the EU is...Socialist Democracy.

No. This thread has nothing to do with socialism. Whether a democracy implemented socialist elements would depend on the will of the voters.

There are two types of republic, a democratic republic and an aristocratic republic. One can also have a hybrid of the two types, as the U.S. Constitution was designed to be initially (democratic House of Representatives, aristocratic Senate).

There are two types of democracy, a direct democracy and a representative democracy or democratic republic.

If you think we should be a direct democracy, then you believe we should be a democracy. If you think we should instead have a representative democracy, then you believe we should be a democracy.

If you believe that our republic should be organized on some other basis, so that power is held by the richest people (or best-educated or whatever) instead of the people in general, then you do not believe we should be a democracy.

 

[Dreamingwolf]

I assumed you meant direct democracy where everyone votes on everything, we cant get the people to vote correctly once every 4 years.