Inside what, the chocolates in the country with mountains?
I’m confused. Your cite specifically says the US is “democratic”. Is this just semantic nitpicking because it says “democratic” instead of “democracy”, or am I missing something?
There’s an insect in your ear if you scratch it won’t disappear, it’s gonna itch and burn and sting. Do you want to see what the scratching brings?
That’s pretty much it. The cite also goes on to say why the nitpick is correct, explaining that town hall meetings are an example of a pure democracy and describing what makes the overall government a republic.
In normal conversation, calling the US a democracy is A-OK by me. But when someone, like the OP, claims that it’s a democracy and not a republic - well, that’s just wrong.
eta: the only reason I brought it up was because I was curious why the OP thought that claiming that the US is a republic is somehow partisan - I still don’t quite get that.
The United States is a democracy, both informally and formally because the Constitution establishes democratic procedures for the structure of the government. Period. That’s all there is to it. The fact that the word “democracy” does not appear in the Constitution is probative of nothing. There are a lot of things that aren’t explicitly set forth in the Constitution, such as judicial review, for example.
“A republic, not a democracy” became a conservative/Republican rallying cry in the 2000 presidential election recount. Why it happened is not entirely clear to me. Perhaps there was some implication was that the constitution didn’t care very much about determining the individual intent of voters.
What is clear is that now when someone says “a republic, not a democracy” he’s most likely using it as a smokescreen for some line of bullshit.
I’ve been seeing these apparently pointless fights over “demnocracy vs replic” for years, and not only on the Dope Board. After wondering why the hell anyone caredc or made an issue of it. And then it hit me.
We’re not a “Democracy” say the Republicans, we’re a Republic!" We’re a Democracy!" say the Democrats.
Could it really be that simple and that lame? The Republicans don’t want to be a Democracy because it has the opposition party name in it? We’re a Republic, because it has their party name in it? It’s THAT petty?
I’m convinced that it is. And I do think this is a Republican trope, because they’re the ones I hear bringing it up. The only time I hear Democrats arguing it is in response.
Actually, I’ve heard the opposite from Republicans too; generally when they are trying to defend some obnoxious law that has popular support. Then they are all “America is a democracy” and claim the popular vote should determine all.
SunGazer does have a bad habit of trying to hijack threads. Too bad he wasn’t here when** Commissar** was. I’m sure they would have entertained themselves quite well.
Differences between republics and democracies are not nominal. See here for instance. The political theory boils down to: the people are stupid, they should be kept content by leaders and democracy is fine as long as its primary function is keeping the ignorant populace from demanding political representation or a change in economic policy (which are essentially equivalent).
You’re muddying the waters. Anytime they use the construction “A Republic, not a Democracy” it’s invariably a Republican speaking:
http://www.free-press.biz/usa/A-republic.htm
Try it the other way around, and you get virtually no hits.
The OP makes no such claim.
I don’t understand why people have so much trouble with this; the United States is a republic and a democracy. There is no conflict there. A democracy is a country where the population has a voting say in the manner in which the state is run, as is the case in the USA. A republic is a country which is ruled by someone who is not selected by means of hereditary succession.
The USA is a republic and a democracy.
The United Kingdom is a democracy but is not, technically, a republic.
The People’s Republic of China is a republic but is not a democracy.
Saudi Arabia is not a republic, and it’s certainly not a democracy.
Actually, this is using very specific definitions of “republic” and “democracy” which are relevant to discussions of political theory. They have little relevance to general conversation and no relevance to the U.S. Constitution.
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The Constitution never says it is not a democratic structure.
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The Constitution never defines “republic” or “democracy.”
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A “republic” can be democratic or non-democratic. Hitler and Saddam Hussein could both legitimately claim to head republican forms of government.
Our system is a democratic republic. It is also a republican democracy. Only a fool would argue otherwise.
Hey, hey, calm down, you two. The U.S. is a floor wax and a dessert topping.
The animated tumbleweeds under “Freeman successes” are a nice touch.
OK, well that answers my question then. If the only reason that people want to argue over it is for selling line of crap, I want nothing to do with it. I prefer needless pedantry to partisan nonsense.
Look, if someone wants to argue that the United States is not a Republic, it’s a Democracy, then they’re an idiot. The United States is a republic.
If someone wants to argue that the United States is not a Democracy, it’s a Republic, then they’re an idiot. The United States is a democracy.
However, I’ve never once heard anyone argue the first point. I’ve heard dozens of right-wing cranks argue the second point. That is because “A republic, not a democracy” a right-wing crank talking point, and therefore anyone who repeats it can be assumed to be one kind of idiot or another. Not because they are a right-winger, but because they’re a crank who repeats crank talking points.
Well, the first time anyone used the line at me was forty-four years ago; it was a fellow sixth-grader.
So, yeah, it’s pretty much THAT petty.