Is USA democratic or not?

[Magicknight94]

If Americans are not war addicts and US is democratic, why does it keep starting wars around the world?

If US is not democratic, why does it keep babbling about other country's democracy?

 

[O.R.I.O.N]

Gotta keep spreading that democracy don't ya know!? The US is at best a Oligarchy at worst a Corporatocracy

 

[occupied]

Democracy is an activity and a value that must be a part of a free nation rather than a form of government, it seems some here despise it as "mob rule" like true fascists always do.

 

[Nyvin]

By electing leaders through popular vote the US is democratic.

The Bush administration is the only one starting wars, although Afghanistan at least had some purpose due to 9/11 you have to admit.

 

[dblack]

If Americans are not war addicts and US is democratic, why does it keep starting wars around the world?

If US is not democratic, why does it keep babbling about other country's democracy?

Damn good question.

 

[Chaussette]

China has one party, the US has two. So America is only better than china by a guy wearing magic underwear! Democratic? Hell no.

 

[occupied]

If Americans are not war addicts and US is democratic, why does it keep starting wars around the world?

If US is not democratic, why does it keep babbling about other country's democracy?

Damn good question.

The answer to the question is, of course, that we have two conflicting interests at work in our foreign policy, one values freedom and the other thirsts for economic dominance. It makes us seem as though we are bombing things flat just for the fun of building them back.

 

[NightFox]

If Americans are not war addicts and US is democratic, why does it keep starting wars around the world?

The problem isn't that Americans are war addicts, the problem is that the institution of the State historically has revolved around it's ability and it's propensity to make war, even a cursory examination of the history of nation states demonstrates this pretty clearly. It's an institution specifically designed for economic exploitation of both it's own citizens and of as many foreign peoples as it can conquer and it's VERY adapt at manipulating it's own citizenry into buying into making war on foreign peoples.

One need look no further than how the American People were manipulated into going along with the war in Iraq in 2003 for a recent example of this, that war proved VERY lucrative for both the political and bureaucratic apparatus in Washington as well as all their rent-seeking corporate cronies.

"The State's criminality is nothing new and nothing to be wondered at. It began when the first predatory group of men clustered together and formed the State, and it will continue as long as the State exists in the world, because the State is fundamentally an anti-social institution, fundamentally criminal. The idea that the State originated to serve any kind of social purpose is completely unhistorical. It originated in conquest and confiscation—that is to say, in crime. It originated for the purpose of maintaining the division of society into an owning-and-exploiting class and a propertyless dependent class — that is, for a criminal purpose.

No State known to history originated in any other manner, or for any other purpose. Like all predatory or parasitic institutions, its first instinct is that of self-preservation. All its enterprises are directed first towards preserving its own life, and, second, towards increasing its own power and enlarging the scope of its own activity. For the sake of this it will, and regularly does, commit any crime which circumstances make expedient" -- Albert Jay Nock, The Criminality of the State

 

[Katzndogz]

Democracy is fine, as long as it is recognized that some cultures do not have the capacity to be democratic.

 

[Truthmatters]

democracy works when you have no cheating in elections.

We have one party that CHEATS in elections

 

[Avorysuds]

Democracy is an activity and a value that must be a part of a free nation rather than a form of government, it seems some here despise it as "mob rule" like true fascists always do.

We are not a democracy, we are a Republic... did you vote on the ACA? Going to war? Medicare part D, the patriot act or the expansions of it? No???? That's because we are not a democracy, we are a Republic.

A democracy does not even sort of describe what the nation is, a Republic does.

 

[Avorysuds]

democracy works when you have no cheating in elections.

We have one party that CHEATS in elections

I agree, we must stop the one party system of Democrats and Republicans from keeping honest parties out of Washington.

 

[NightFox]

We are not a democracy, we are a Republic...

IMHO we WERE a Republic, what we are now is some sort of bastardized transitory state between a Republic and an Oligarchy.

 

[Darkwind]

If Americans are not war addicts and US is democratic, why does it keep starting wars around the world?

If US is not democratic, why does it keep babbling about other country's democracy?

War addicts?


Now that is the funniest thing I've read here in a long time.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

By electing leaders through popular vote the US is democratic.

The Bush administration is the only one starting wars, although Afghanistan at least had some purpose due to 9/11 you have to admit.

Don't forget about korea and vietnam.

 

[Avorysuds]

We are not a democracy, we are a Republic...

IMHO we WERE a Republic, what we are now is some sort of bastardized transitory state between a Republic and an Oligarchy.

Sure, that was TM's point with Democrats and Republicans being a single party that cheats to keep themselves in office. Currently Dems are the majority wing of that single party system, but that looks to be changing... However all the policies will remain the same, much like Obama's (and Dems) polices are nothing more than expansions of the worst when the Republican wing of that one party system was lead by Bush and Republicans.

 

[JakeStarkey]

We have to rein in the neo-cons and the military.

 

[occupied]

Democracy is an activity and a value that must be a part of a free nation rather than a form of government, it seems some here despise it as "mob rule" like true fascists always do.

We are not a democracy, we are a Republic... did you vote on the ACA? Going to war? Medicare part D, the patriot act or the expansions of it? No???? That's because we are not a democracy, we are a Republic.

A democracy does not even sort of describe what the nation is, a Republic does.

Reading comprehension is not one of your strong suits is it? Perhaps I should elaborate. As I said democracy is a value system rather than a governmental system. It involves the citizens having a stake in politics rather than just some ruling aristocracy and the government responding in some positive way. When you or some other conservative reacts with "we are a republic not a democracy" you signal a couple of things, you either believe that not everyone should have a vote or a voice in government or that you completely abdicate your stake in government to the asshole who happens to get elected to represent you. Neither are healthy attitudes for continuing freedom, which one is your opinion?

 

[JQPublic1]

By electing leaders through popular vote the US is democratic.

Of the three branches of government only one is "democratically" elected by popular vote: Congress! The President is elected by the Electoral College whose electors are free to vote as they wish, regardless of the popular vote. And, of course, the Supreme Court Justices are nominated by the President. The Congress does have to approve the candidates but there is no direct input by the American people.

Does that make America 1/3 of a democracy or shall we agree that it is a democrazy!