The United States is a Democracy.

[Pogo]

If the definition of the term is floating then the poll has no meaning.

I don't think of "democracy" as some quantifiable finite substance like how much gas to put in the tank. Can't do it.

This is not a poll about how to define or quantify democracy. Your attempt to regress the matter into tangents could just as easily be applied to every question whatsoever, rendering every question ever asked to have "no meaning." Cool story, but that's not the topic here. Go take your existentialism questions to the philosophy forum. Fer fuck's sake, it's a simple fucking question. If you can't handle that then GTFO.

Actually I already handled it in post 2.
Put some actual thought into it next time.

 

[SwimExpert]

All those rules came about from the vote of the People, which makes us a democracy.

Actually, they came about from a vote of a representative delegation in convention, and a second representative delegation chosen by the legislatures of the states.

Elected representatives are a function of a democracy.

So, when a governing body, like a legislature, hand picks a group of people to do the electing, what's that called?

 

[NYcarbineer]

All those rules came about from the vote of the People, which makes us a democracy.

Actually, they came about from a vote of a representative delegation in convention, and a second representative delegation chosen by the legislatures of the states.

Elected representatives are a function of a democracy.

So, when a governing body, like a legislature, hand picks a group of people to do the electing, what's that called?

It's called democracy if the legislature was put in place by the voters.

 

[NYcarbineer]

We're not a democracy. All you did with this thread is show that you don't understand the election process and our government structure.

Describe what you think is a proper democracy then.

 

[SwimExpert]

All those rules came about from the vote of the People, which makes us a democracy.

Actually, they came about from a vote of a representative delegation in convention, and a second representative delegation chosen by the legislatures of the states.

Elected representatives are a function of a democracy.

So, when a governing body, like a legislature, hand picks a group of people to do the electing, what's that called?

It's called democracy if the legislature was put in place by the voters.

So now we have a third story. How about we get back to your original statement, so you can acknowledge you were wrong. The people did not vote on the constitution. Indeed, most of the people had no right to vote on anything at the time. The constitution was ratified by hand picked individuals chosen to represent the people.

 

[Pumpkin Row]

We're not a democracy. All you did with this thread is show that you don't understand the election process and our government structure.

Describe what you think is a proper democracy then.

Oh, you know... systems that actually follow the given definition of a Democracy. We even elect officials that vote for more officials that actually run for office. Nothing is majority rule here, in fact, we have laws preventing this country from having any majority rule. We're a Constitutional Republic, as our system follows that definition. I didn't think it was that complicated, but apparently we have people that take the words of politicians over that of the dictionary.

 

[NYcarbineer]

We're not a democracy. All you did with this thread is show that you don't understand the election process and our government structure.

Describe what you think is a proper democracy then.

Oh, you know... systems that actually follow the given definition of a Democracy. We even elect officials that vote for more officials that actually run for office. Nothing is majority rule here, in fact, we have laws preventing this country from having any majority rule. We're a Constitutional Republic, as our system follows that definition. I didn't think it was that complicated, but apparently we have people that take the words of politicians over that of the dictionary.

IOW you can't even describe what you think a 'proper' democracy is.

but you accept the dictionary definition?

Full Definition of democracy
plural
democracies

1. 1a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majorityb : 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
   

 

[NYcarbineer]

All those rules came about from the vote of the People, which makes us a democracy.

Actually, they came about from a vote of a representative delegation in convention, and a second representative delegation chosen by the legislatures of the states.

Elected representatives are a function of a democracy.

So, when a governing body, like a legislature, hand picks a group of people to do the electing, what's that called?

It's called democracy if the legislature was put in place by the voters.

So now we have a third story. How about we get back to your original statement, so you can acknowledge you were wrong. The people did not vote on the constitution. Indeed, most of the people had no right to vote on anything at the time. The constitution was ratified by hand picked individuals chosen to represent the people.

From NY's ratification of the US Constitution:

We, the delegates of the people of the state of New York, duly elected and met in Convention, having maturely considered the Constitution for the United States of America, agreed to on the 17th day of September, in the year 1787, by the Convention then assembled at Philadelphia, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, (a copy whereof precedes these presents,) and having also seriously and deliberately considered the present situation of the United States, — Do declare and make known, —

That all power is originally vested in, and consequently derived from, the people, and that...etc. etc...

 

[Pumpkin Row]

We're not a democracy. All you did with this thread is show that you don't understand the election process and our government structure.

Describe what you think is a proper democracy then.

Oh, you know... systems that actually follow the given definition of a Democracy. We even elect officials that vote for more officials that actually run for office. Nothing is majority rule here, in fact, we have laws preventing this country from having any majority rule. We're a Constitutional Republic, as our system follows that definition. I didn't think it was that complicated, but apparently we have people that take the words of politicians over that of the dictionary.

IOW you can't even describe what you think a 'proper' democracy is.

but you accept the dictionary definition?

Full Definition of democracy
plural
democracies

1. 1a : government by the people; especially : rule of the majorityb : 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

Except the supreme power isn't with the people. I literally just explained that. We elect people, those people elect the president, the president appoints others. The people are NOT the supreme power, and they never have been. It's not with the majority, either. The president, a singular entity, can veto bills that were voted for by more people. that's just one example. We, the people, don't control anything directly, and that's part of what prevents it from being a democracy.

 

[SwimExpert]

We, the delegates of the people of the state of New York, duly elected

*yawn*

Now you're going to play word games. Right now you're operating on koshergirl level. Hope you're proud.

 

[Kristian]

I'm liberal and we need to introducing a Republic of U.S.A. to R.A. how is Republic America how are less Democracy do USA have closer to 70 precents normalthinkers how is biggest majority after hetero and we need like in Africa and Cuba.

 

[boedicca]

The U.S. is a Constitutional Republic, so not a pure democracy, thank the Goddess.

A Republic protects minority rights. A pure Democracy always descends into Mob Rule.

You're right about that, the founders wanted the unsusbtantial people to have very little to say about their own governance.

* sigh * another moron. ^^^

 

[boedicca]

The U.S. is a Constitutional Republic, so not a pure democracy, thank the Goddess.

A Republic protects minority rights. A pure Democracy always descends into Mob Rule.

You're right about that, the founders wanted the unsusbtantial people to have very little to say about their own governance.

Can you actually find something of one of them saying that? Why spend all the time fighting against British imperialism and democracy only to replace it with another authoritarian system.

Look at how they set the thing up. Only affluent white land/property holding males were included in this "brave neew experiment". Even the senate was appointed. Why? Because all it was, this "revolution", was a pissing match between bickering transatlantinc aristocracies.

You are neglecting the fact that the system they set up enabled more inclusiveness over time as society developed. You also are completely blind the the values of the Enlightenment which informed them (hardly a surprise there).

 

[Kristian]

I can little English + it is hury I translate.

Republic America I wanna if Trump win.

 

[Fenton Lum]

The U.S. is a Constitutional Republic, so not a pure democracy, thank the Goddess.

A Republic protects minority rights. A pure Democracy always descends into Mob Rule.

You're right about that, the founders wanted the unsusbtantial people to have very little to say about their own governance.

Can you actually find something of one of them saying that? Why spend all the time fighting against British imperialism and democracy only to replace it with another authoritarian system.

Look at how they set the thing up. Only affluent white land/property holding males were included in this "brave neew experiment". Even the senate was appointed. Why? Because all it was, this "revolution", was a pissing match between bickering transatlantinc aristocracies.

You are neglecting the fact that the system they set up enabled more inclusiveness over time as society developed. You also are completely blind the the values of the Enlightenment which informed them (hardly a surprise there).

No, actually everyone else had to struggle, scratch, and claw their way toward any type of equality. The founders had "enlightened" values only for themselves; affluent, titled, property holding white males alone. Then post Bacon's Rebellion the aristocracy decided to engage in the race baiting and division of the unsubstantial people which continues yet today.

 

[Fenton Lum]

The U.S. is a Constitutional Republic, so not a pure democracy, thank the Goddess.

A Republic protects minority rights. A pure Democracy always descends into Mob Rule.

You're right about that, the founders wanted the unsusbtantial people to have very little to say about their own governance.

Can you actually find something of one of them saying that? Why spend all the time fighting against British imperialism and democracy only to replace it with another authoritarian system.

Look at how they set the thing up. Only affluent white land/property holding males were included in this "brave neew experiment". Even the senate was appointed. Why? Because all it was, this "revolution", was a pissing match between bickering transatlantinc aristocracies.

You are neglecting the fact that the system they set up enabled more inclusiveness over time as society developed. You also are completely blind the the values of the Enlightenment which informed them (hardly a surprise there).

The people already here were cleansed from the land mass. No surprise you ignore anything that refutes the reality of the grand American creation myth.

 

[boedicca]

The U.S. is a Constitutional Republic, so not a pure democracy, thank the Goddess.

A Republic protects minority rights. A pure Democracy always descends into Mob Rule.

You're right about that, the founders wanted the unsusbtantial people to have very little to say about their own governance.

Can you actually find something of one of them saying that? Why spend all the time fighting against British imperialism and democracy only to replace it with another authoritarian system.

Look at how they set the thing up. Only affluent white land/property holding males were included in this "brave neew experiment". Even the senate was appointed. Why? Because all it was, this "revolution", was a pissing match between bickering transatlantinc aristocracies.

You are neglecting the fact that the system they set up enabled more inclusiveness over time as society developed. You also are completely blind the the values of the Enlightenment which informed them (hardly a surprise there).

The people already here were cleansed from the land mass. No surprise you ignore anything that refutes the reality of the grand American creation myth.

Do you live in the U.S. and are you from an immigrant family? If so, give your home back to the Native Americans, or admit that we are no longer in 1600s.

 

[Fenton Lum]

You're right about that, the founders wanted the unsusbtantial people to have very little to say about their own governance.

Can you actually find something of one of them saying that? Why spend all the time fighting against British imperialism and democracy only to replace it with another authoritarian system.

Look at how they set the thing up. Only affluent white land/property holding males were included in this "brave neew experiment". Even the senate was appointed. Why? Because all it was, this "revolution", was a pissing match between bickering transatlantinc aristocracies.

You are neglecting the fact that the system they set up enabled more inclusiveness over time as society developed. You also are completely blind the the values of the Enlightenment which informed them (hardly a surprise there).

The people already here were cleansed from the land mass. No surprise you ignore anything that refutes the reality of the grand American creation myth.

Do you live in the U.S. and are you from an immigrant family? If so, give your home back to the Native Americans, or admit that we are no longer in 1600s.

Sorry for interrupting your day with abject reality.

 

[boedicca]

Can you actually find something of one of them saying that? Why spend all the time fighting against British imperialism and democracy only to replace it with another authoritarian system.

Look at how they set the thing up. Only affluent white land/property holding males were included in this "brave neew experiment". Even the senate was appointed. Why? Because all it was, this "revolution", was a pissing match between bickering transatlantinc aristocracies.

You are neglecting the fact that the system they set up enabled more inclusiveness over time as society developed. You also are completely blind the the values of the Enlightenment which informed them (hardly a surprise there).

The people already here were cleansed from the land mass. No surprise you ignore anything that refutes the reality of the grand American creation myth.

Do you live in the U.S. and are you from an immigrant family? If so, give your home back to the Native Americans, or admit that we are no longer in 1600s.

Sorry for interrupting your day with abject reality.

You are not applying abject reality. You are applying 21st century PC claptrap upon sixteenth and seventeen century values and circumstances.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

The United States is a Constitutional Republic, whose citizens are subject to the rule of law, not the ‘simple majority.’

A republican form of government affords the people the benefit of a representative democracy, where the will of the people is expressed through their elected representatives, who act in accordance with the rule of law when enacting measures governing the people, at the people’s behest.

And when the people err, and enact measures through their elected representatives repugnant to Constitutional jurisprudence, the people have the right to seek relief in the courts, and have those measures invalidated in accordance with the rule of law.

This, then, is the genius of the American Constitutional Republic, and why it’s superior to all other systems of government, in that it both affords the people the means by which to participate in the governing process and express their will and views on the issues, and safeguards their rights and protected liberties from government overreach, excess, and the tyranny of the ‘simple majority.’