Zone1 America is not a democracy its a republic ?

[ding]

I see this repeated a lot on this forum. Ive never really understood this point of view and what those stating it are getting at.

It usually gets stated when some undemocratic action needs to be justified. Americans vote on everything. And they value their vote. People who vote are the democratic process.

And that might be the key word. Republic might be the title but democracy is the process. You cant have one without the other. It is nonsense to suggest otherwise.

America is a ollection of quasi independent states. But they arent really. The civil war squashed that notion. ALabama eont unilaterally invade Canada.

People who deny democracy never have a better alternative. Nor can they point to a successful society that has rejected democracy.

The process is the thing not the title.

So where in this republic is democracy not the key ingredient ?

If you don’t know the difference I probably can’t help you.

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

We are a republic in which our representatives are vote for democratically.

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

I just noted Ding is from Houston.

The only places I remember that were good were Rockefellers and Club Ha Ha.

Otherwise, a bore stuck in a swamp full of alligators.

 

[ding]

Home is where the heart is.

 

[Godboy]

I see this repeated a lot on this forum. Ive never really understood this point of view and what those stating it are getting at.

It usually gets stated when some undemocratic action needs to be justified. Americans vote on everything. And they value their vote. People who vote are the democratic process.

And that might be the key word. Republic might be the title but democracy is the process. You cant have one without the other. It is nonsense to suggest otherwise.

America is a ollection of quasi independent states. But they arent really. The civil war squashed that notion. ALabama eont unilaterally invade Canada.

People who deny democracy never have a better alternative. Nor can they point to a successful society that has rejected democracy.

The process is the thing not the title.

So where in this republic is democracy not the key ingredient ?

A true democracy would allow its citizens to vote on EVERYTHING! We have a constitutional republic, which means that we elect representatives to vote for us.

When the quarterly budget comes up, US citizens dont get to vote on it. When they bring up an immigration bill, we dont get to vote on it. Congress and the Senate do the voting.

 

[beautress]

I see this repeated a lot on this forum. Ive never really understood this point of view and what those stating it are getting at.

It usually gets stated when some undemocratic action needs to be justified. Americans vote on everything. And they value their vote. People who vote are the democratic process.

And that might be the key word. Republic might be the title but democracy is the process. You cant have one without the other. It is nonsense to suggest otherwise.

America is a ollection of quasi independent states. But they arent really. The civil war squashed that notion. ALabama eont unilaterally invade Canada.

People who deny democracy never have a better alternative. Nor can they point to a successful society that has rejected democracy.

The process is the thing not the title.

So where in this republic is democracy not the key ingredient ?

Our pledge to the allegiance to our flag could give you insight to our republic, Mr. Tainant: and the baby boomers following World War Two learned it well. It goes like this: "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All the schools I went to in Texas started each school day with that pledge, and we grew to love and revere our own country all our lives.
Please don't let your annoyance of our republic of liberty and justice for all eat your liver.

Most of us who have had the pleasure of visiting your awesome nation love beautiful Canada and it's courteous citizens. When my late husband and I went on the Train tour of Canada from Toronto to Lake Louise to Vancouver, we loved it as your nation was totally enchanting. Our guide on the Train was a history professor whose theme was Canadian History. He was remarkable.

 

[John Edgar Slow Horses]

beautress does not understand the process of democracy in our federal system. The three branches are co-equal each with checks and balances.

 

[Hector12]

As best as I have been able to tell the cliche, "America is a republic, not a democracy," originated during the Eisenhower Administration. It may have originated with the John Birch Society. Reactionaries hoped that Eisenhower would reverse the economic reforms of the New Deal. Eisenhower refused to do so because he knew that those reforms had broad popular support.

Reactionaries decided that that did not matter because the United State was not a democracy.

We should not be surprised that the greatly over rated "Founding Fathers" feared democracy. They were rich men. Many owned slaves. They feared progressive taxation. Most were opposed to public schools.

The Founding Fathers were intelligent, and well educated for our time. We should not assume that they had insight into the kind of government we need now.

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

I see this repeated a lot on this forum. Ive never really understood this point of view and what those stating it are getting at.

It usually gets stated when some undemocratic action needs to be justified. Americans vote on everything. And they value their vote. People who vote are the democratic process.

And that might be the key word. Republic might be the title but democracy is the process. You cant have one without the other. It is nonsense to suggest otherwise.

America is a ollection of quasi independent states. But they arent really. The civil war squashed that notion. ALabama eont unilaterally invade Canada.

People who deny democracy never have a better alternative. Nor can they point to a successful society that has rejected democracy.

The process is the thing not the title.

So where in this republic is democracy not the key ingredient ?

Hilarious, the Brit who's country still practices a medieval form of Government is educating us on what the US is. Silly limey

We elect Representatives to run our country, and make our laws that is known as a Republic. In a Democracy everyone would have a say in every bill and law. The best analogy I've heard is two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.

There is also the fact that the Founding Fathers loathed Democracies and where very clear that the US is a Constitutional Republic. Nowhere in our Constitution is the word Democracy, but you will find Republic mentioned.

The whole point of this argument is so the leaders of the left can stir up their mouth breathing base making them think if they don't toe the party line they will lose something the US has never been.

 

[Flopper]

People confuse ''democracy'' with ''a Democracy'' all of the tiime.

They're completely antithetical terms.

"A Democracy'' is a specific form of government which is antithetical to ''democracy'' itself since the chief characteristic of ''a Democracy'' is rule by omnipotent Majority.

This is also what makes ''a Democracy'' antithetical to ''a Republic'' because ''democracy'' itself is a feature of "a Republic.''

I rarely, if ever, see this topic discussed/debated correctly.

The name republic can be a country that is a tyrannical dictatorship such as North Korea, (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) or it can be a country like Switzerland that describes itself as a republic that allows the people to directly vote on national issues. The fact is national titles or how nations describes themselves means little. It is how the goverment actually functions that is important.

A republic is a type of government in which the people elect representatives to run the goverment. In the definition the people are not defined nor how representative are elected.

 

[rippy38]

I see this repeated a lot on this forum. Ive never really understood this point of view and what those stating it are getting at.

It usually gets stated when some undemocratic action needs to be justified. Americans vote on everything. And they value their vote. People who vote are the democratic process.

And that might be the key word. Republic might be the title but democracy is the process. You cant have one without the other. It is nonsense to suggest otherwise.

America is a ollection of quasi independent states. But they arent really. The civil war squashed that notion. ALabama eont unilaterally invade Canada.

People who deny democracy never have a better alternative. Nor can they point to a successful society that has rejected democracy.

The process is the thing not the title.

So where in this republic is democracy not the key ingredient ?

We are a democraticly elected Republic of States.

Think of each State as it's own entity, belonging to a collective.

States Rights are the key to our Constitution.

As written, the States have the right to tell DC to pound sand.

 

[Flopper]

As best as I have been able to tell the cliche, "America is a republic, not a democracy," originated during the Eisenhower Administration. It may have originated with the John Birch Society. Reactionaries hoped that Eisenhower would reverse the economic reforms of the New Deal. Eisenhower refused to do so because he knew that those reforms had broad popular support.

Reactionaries decided that that did not matter because the United State was not a democracy.

We should not be surprised that the greatly over rated "Founding Fathers" feared democracy. They were rich men. Many owned slaves. They feared progressive taxation. Most were opposed to public schools.

The Founding Fathers were intelligent, and well educated for our time. We should not assume that they had insight into the kind of government we need now.

Eisenhower was a republican so declaring that the nation is republic was a no brainer, particularly since this statement is in Article 4 Section 4 of the constitution says, " The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government...."

In declaring that the United States was a republic, the founders were simple saying the people would select the leadership of the country. For the most the part who and how that was done would be left mostly to the states. Jefferson and other representatives to the convention objected saying that the constitution should guarantee some direct representation of the people. His plea for direct representation resulted in the creation of the House of Representatives in the Constitution guaranteeing a voice of the people in the goverment.

However the convention refused to add any other direct representation of the people in the Constitution. The president would be elected in the Electoral College by representatives selected as the state legislatures chose. The Senators in the Senate would be appointed by the state legislatures or the governors of each state.

Although the constitution established the beginnings of a Democratic Republic it would be over over a 120 years before American democracy would come to fruition with the voters selecting their president and the congress.

 

[Flopper]

Exactly!

That's the obstacle right there, Marc.

Every single time.

But this is not at all a difficult thing to grasp. Gawdammit...

That's why it drives me up the wall when I see it. lol...

As a form of government democracy, where each citizen has a vote in all government actions died with Ancient Greece simple because it is impossible to implement in a large nation. Attempts to do so has resulted in anarchy.

However, democratic principles are certainly applicable today in which the people have direct representation in government. It took over 120 years but the United States has become a democratic republic as have many nations.

 

[Orangecat]

But you vote on everything.
We have a democracy in the UK. Its different to the US but its still a democracy.

Incorrect. I don't recall voting on Ukraine funding, increasing the national debt, or any number of other issues that the government endorses.

 

[Flopper]

Here's a near six minute video that does a good job of;.....

What is the difference between a Democracy and a Republic?​

It is really pretty simple. a form of government in which the people or their elected representatives possess the supreme power. The definition is so vague that both China and North Korea claim to be a republic.

The US was founded as a republic with a House of Representative that gave direct representation to the people. Today with direct representation of the people in selecting Senators and the President, we can claim to be democratic republic.

 

[Flopper]

Incorrect. I don't recall voting on Ukraine funding, increasing the national debt, or any number of other issues that the government endorses.

A republic is a form of government that is created by elected repersentives of the people. Both China and North Korea meet that definition. In fact most countries in the world claim to be a republic.

Democracy as form government disappear a long time ago. Today Democracy means rule of the people. The closest implementation is a democratic republic such as in the United States.

 

[Orangecat]

A republic is a form of government that is created by elected repersentives of the people. Both China and North Korea meet that definition. In fact most countries in the world claim to be a republic.

Democracy as form government disappear a long time ago. Today Democracy means rule of the people. The closest implementation is a democratic republic such as in the United States.

Democracy is just the method we use to choose representatives who, for the most part, do the bidding of whoever pays them the most.

 

[Natural Citizen]

We are a democraticly elected Republic of States.

Think of each State as it's own entity, belonging to a collective.

States Rights are the key to our Constitution.

As written, the States have the right to tell DC to pound sand.

Federalist #51. ''Compound republic.'' Very good, grasshoppa...

 

[Hector12]

A republic is a country that is not ruled by a hereditary monarch. A democracy is ruled by officials elected by the voters. The United States is a republic and a democracy.

 

[Flopper]

I think the appropriate description is democratic republic. However names don’t mean much. Some of the most oppressive governments in the world claim to be democratic republics. As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding.

We measure how democratic an election is based on what percent of the adult population votes and the effect the voting has on leadership and policy.

China claims to be a democratic republic. However, voting is so indirect and the choices on the ballot insure that the communist party will always control the government, their claim to be a democratic republic is a sham.