Those wanting to understand the constitution, check in here

[Martin Eden Mercury]

The Constitution sets out the principles of how we elect our representatives. If we can vote, we have a form of democracy.

Thank you

 

[Martin Eden Mercury]

Republic or Democracy?

A distinction with a difference to the American Revolution.

People often use the term “democracy” when referring to the United States. The distinction between a republic, which is technically what we are, and a democracy seems lost on those who intermingle the terms as if they were synonyms. If you note that we are not a democracy, but a republic, you risk being mocked as strict constructionists overly wedded to technical definitions and unwilling to acknowledge the importance of popular sovereignty and the will of the people in our system.

This is unfortunate, as the question of whether we are a democracy or a republic is an important one, complex, and reliant on clear definitions of words and their use. Strictly speaking, the United States is a representative Republic, not a democracy. The distinction has a difference. It greatly influenced the American Revolution, and arguably saved the future Republic from ruin in its darkest days.

First, some definitions. Merriam-Webster (MW) defines democracy, a noun, as “a government by the people” characterized by “rule of the majority,” and as “a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections.”[1] This, of course, does a pretty good job of describing what most of us believe our government is. We the People are sovereign, and we exercise that power through elections. So far so good.

As for “republic” the definition is similar, but with several important additional elements. Republic is also a noun, meaning (according to MW), “a government having a chief of state who is not a monarch and who in modern times is usually a president,” and “a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law.”[2]

From these definitions it is clear why there might be some confusion. A representative republic uses “democratic means” to manifest the consent of the governed. We vote for representatives, who vote on measures. Voting is democracy in action, but that does not make the United States a democracy. The measures that our representatives vote on are constrained by law and the Constitution. We do not have pure democracy or “rule by the majority” because we have constitutionally protected rights that cannot be voted away, operate under rule of law, and have, till recently, limited government with limited powers. We also have, however, an expanded voting population that is not limited by aristocracy, wealth, property ownership, or gender. Any citizen, over 18 years of age, can vote. One could say, therefore, that the United States is a democratic representative Republic.

While some might wish to believe so, the founders did not invent the concept of consent of the governed, nor was America the first democracy or republic. Discussion of such concepts had been going on for centuries and republics existed prior to the American Revolution. What the American founders did do was expand the definition of a republic so that it gave more power to the popular will of the people. They were merging, more completely, the idea of a law-based government with the concept of consent of the governed. While in retrospect we see their efforts as woefully incomplete, for the time it was a revolutionary step towards popular sovereignty. Many doubted such an expansion of representation could work over such a large population or territory.

The original text of the United States Constitution never mentions the word democracy, and only mentions republic as a form of government once in Article IV, Section 4 (“The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government…”). Interestingly, that clause refers to the states, and not the federal government itself. Throughout the text the founders refer to the United States as the “union” or as the “United States” but never a republic or a democracy. The Declaration of Independence does not use either term at all.

That said, the structure laid down in the Constitution contains the elements that MW described, including a “chief of state,” and that power lies with a body of “elected officers and representatives” who vote on the laws that govern the nation. All these officials govern according to law.

That is a Republic, no doubt.

Republic or Democracy? Classical History, Republican Governing as Adopted by the United States, and the American Revolutionary War – Constituting America

constitutingamerica.org

Partisan nonsense. Republic or Democracy? Everybody knows the pledge of allegiance.

 

[Martin Eden Mercury]

Nope. Voting for a representative isn’t the same as voting for any law they may collectively enact.

As I correctly said before, we make very limited use of a democratic vote for the representatives in our republic.

so now you're saying we use a democratic system

 

[Robert W]

Partisan nonsense. Republic or Democracy? Everybody knows the pledge of allegiance.

We each are devoted.

ME to the republic.
YOU to an imaginary democracy.

 

[Martin Eden Mercury]

And?

A bag of shit can call itself a bag of gold. But the truth isn’t found in that false label.

It wasn't a label. The Soviet Union had an actual constitution.

Fact: During its existence, the Soviet Union had three different constitutions enforced individually at different times between 31 January 1924 to 26 December 1991.

 

[Martin Eden Mercury]

We each are devoted.

ME to the republic.
YOU to an imaginary democracy.

There's where you revert back to a MAGA Weirdo. We have one pledge of allegiance. Everyone knows the words.

You are a small Don Quixote titling at little whirlie things

 

[Cellblock2429]

This does not belong in the US Constitution Forum like this does...

Mark Levin is a rightwing demagogue (all about partisan politics an ideology)

The idea that people who mention democracy are ignorant of the USA being a republic, is mere bullshit.

Our republic is a representative democracy. And I have listed mentions of democracy in writings of British colonists in American during the 1700s.

Origins and Foundations​

The Senate and the Constitution



In 1787 the framers of the United States Constitution established in Article I the structure and powers of Congress. They debated the idea of a Congress made up of two houses. One house would be, in the words of Virginia’s George Mason, the “grand depository of the democratic principle of government.” To counter this popular influence in the national government, James Madison of Virginia proposed another house that would be small, deliberative, and independent from the larger, more democratic house. This became the Senate.

/---/ Go peddle your revisionist bullshyt on Bluesky Social, where idiot libtrads will lap it up.

Article Four, Section Four, of the U.S. Constitution guarantees every state a republican form of government and protects them against invasion and domestic violence, allowing state legislatures or executives to request federal assistance when needed.

Nowhere is "representative democracy" or "democracy" mentioned in the Constitution or in the Federalist papers.

 

[Martin Eden Mercury]

So now we vote on Executive orders. Gosh that is news to me.

Here is another set of reasons we are a Republic

Supreme Court
Executive authority
Legislative authority
We are cut out of all of that.

The context here was about seeking to control Americans. You completely ignore its MAGA backed executive orders doing what you claim democrats were doing.

 

[Martin Eden Mercury]

/---/ Go peddle your revisionist bullshyt on Bluesky Social, where idiot libtrads will lap it up.

Article Four, Section Four, of the U.S. Constitution guarantees every state a republican form of government and protects them against invasion and domestic violence, allowing state legislatures or executives to request federal assistance when needed.

Nowhere is "representative democracy" or "democracy" mentioned in the Constitution or in the Federalist papers.

You've completely ignored "Our republic is a representative democracy."

 

[Martin Eden Mercury]

Helping us both.

What was a “Democracy” in the Eighteenth Century?​

According to James Madison, democracy was a form of government where “the people meet and exercise the government in person” and decide issues by voting.2 The Framers were not impressed by this system. Alexander Hamilton said that “ancient democracies” lacked “one feature of good government. Their very character was tyranny.”3 John Adams called direct democracies “impracticable.”4 James Madison saw direct democracies as “spectacles of turbulence and contention.”5

misunderstanding - misinterpreting - misrepresenting

carry on

 

[Martin Eden Mercury]

Thank you for being accurate by calling it the Republic.

Why?

Myself nor others here (that I know of), have ever claimed we are not a republic.

 

[Robert W]

Thank you

What was a “Republic” in the Eighteenth Century?​

In a republic, according to Madison, the people “assemble and administer” government by empowering “their representatives and agents” to make decisions.7 James Madison argued that “a republic may be extended over a large region,” because it only required representatives to travel, rather than all voting citizens.8 In a well-designed republic, representatives would focus on the broader public good, rather than local or factional interests.9

 

[Robert W]

Why?

Myself nor others here (that I know of), have ever claimed we are not a republic.

Well, your past posts must have been written by a thief then.

Again, thank you for admitting we are living in a republic.

What was a “Republic” in the Eighteenth Century?​

In a republic, according to Madison, the people “assemble and administer” government by empowering “their representatives and agents” to make decisions.7 James Madison argued that “a republic may be extended over a large region,” because it only required representatives to travel, rather than all voting citizens.8 In a well-designed republic, representatives would focus on the broader public good, rather than local or factional interests.9

 

[Robert W]

There's where you revert back to a MAGA Weirdo. We have one pledge of allegiance. Everyone knows the words.

You are a small Don Quixote titling at little whirlie things

So this is what you mean? I pledge Allegiance to the Democracy for which the flag stands?

 

[BackAgain]

That is why we are a representative democracy

We aren’t. So, it cannot “be why.”

We elect representatives to make decisions for us on the local, state and federal level.

Yes.

It is all under the aegis of our Constitutional Republic.

It is predicated on our form of government: our Constitutional republic.

Gotta run. Nice discussing this with all of you.

K

 

[skews13]

Check into this site for liberty and learning. It might seem a waste of time, but it is way too valuable to just shuffle off.

I have commented on the purpose of our Government. No it is not a democracy. Were it one, we all would be besieged with notices to vote. And I mean on every action by government. This is why the founders named it a Republic. A Republic has representatives to do all of your voting. All you can do is vote for all of them, including the president. Democrats call it a democracy to fool you. When you hear our press call us a democracy, they mean to a person only Democrats.

This belongs in the rubber room.

 

[BackAgain]

It wasn't a label. The Soviet Union had an actual constitution.

It was a label. And a false one at that. Having a constitution didn’t make them any kind of a republic.

Fact: During its existence, the Soviet Union had three different constitutions enforced individually at different times between 31 January 1924 to 26 December 1991.

Irrelevant factoid.

 

[BackAgain]

This belongs in the rubber room.

No. It sure as fuck does not.

 

[BackAgain]

so now you're saying we use a democratic system

No. I’m saying exactly what I previously said: We make limited use of an aspect of democracy.

Try to follow along.

 

[Cellblock2429]

You've completely ignored "Our republic is a representative democracy."

/—-/ That’s just your opinion which is your right.