Is the USA still a true democracy?

[Paredonia]

Surely the USA can't even be called a democracy so long as the Electoral College exists? As I understand it, in a Presidential Election, people aren't voting directly for the candidate they want as President, they are basically telling their state's representatives in the Electoral College who to elect. But the Electoral College doesn't have to listen to the voters do they? The entire country could vote Democrat but the EO could vote to elect a Republican. That means the US merely has the ILLUSION of democracy, rather than democracy itself. That's the way I see it.

[Sevezat]

Not as long as we continue to elect Liberal Leaders. The Democratic Party is not what it used to be. It no longer supports the ideas of Americans. DONALD TRUMP is who we need to lead this country back to a true AMERICAN democracy. People before party. VOTE TRUMP 2016.

I talked with people from other countries on the internet who hate the US and they want Trump elected so he will ruin this country, and others. If we elect Trump, the world will laugh at us, then run for their fallout shelter.

[The Northernmost Americas]

No.

My friend once brought up an interesting point:

If America elects Trump, he would fuck shit up so bad that nobody would ever dare to vote for a person like him again.

His supporters would blame it on the lack of cooperation from the democratic party and/or infiltration by militant migrants.

[American Cities]

No.

My friend once brought up an interesting point:

If America elects Trump, he would fuck shit up so bad that nobody would ever dare to vote for a person like him again.

We already elected a democrat that screwed America.

[Italios]

No.

My friend once brought up an interesting point:

If America elects Trump, he would fuck shit up so bad that nobody would ever dare to vote for a person like him again.

On the other hand, he will fuck shit up so bad there will be no more America when he's through with it.

[The Northernmost Americas]

Surely the USA can't even be called a democracy so long as the Electoral College exists? As I understand it, in a Presidential Election, people aren't voting directly for the candidate they want as President, they are basically telling their state's representatives in the Electoral College who to elect. But the Electoral College doesn't have to listen to the voters do they? The entire country could vote Democrat but the EO could vote to elect a Republican. That means the US merely has the ILLUSION of democracy, rather than democracy itself. That's the way I see it.

That's only true for certain electoral colleges. I don't have the stats but I pretty most have to comply with the popular vote.

[Prussia-Steinbach]

We already elected a democrat that screwed America.

Who?

[DARGLED]

The united States is not a democracy. A democracy is where ten hungry cannibals can vote to eat the 11th hungry cannibal. Our country is a Constitutionally Limited Republic. The eleventh cannibal has rights that cannot be voted on and taken away

[The Northernmost Americas]

We already elected a democrat that screwed America.

You mean they elected a democrat who failed to fully fix the clusterfuck bequeathed to him by a republican?

[America post-2040]

Not as long as we continue to elect Liberal Leaders. The Democratic Party is not what it used to be. It no longer supports the ideas of Americans. DONALD TRUMP is who we need to lead this country back to a true AMERICAN democracy. People before party. VOTE TRUMP 2016.

Ya that isn't going to bring about true democracy, although to be fair none of the current candidates would achieve it. Lessig probably had the campaign that would move closest to it, with his removal of campaign funds, and Sanders has the second closest with his opposition to corporate funding, but both still fall very short of establishing true democracy.

Also "leading America back to true democracy" would suggest it used to have it, it hasn't, no nation ever has.

[Prussia-Steinbach]

You mean they elected a democrat who failed to fully fix the clusterfuck bequeathed to him by a republican?

If he's talking about Obama, that guy did a pretty damn good job, especially with Republicans vowing to obstruct his every move since the beginning.

[Ndaku]

Democracy is an illusion, first of all. Secondly, the US might be more democratic than other nations, but it is not and never has been a true democracy. There can't be a true democracy ever because there'll always be a criteria to vote on things.

[Bentrada]

Well, the USA is actually a Republic.

Which is not mutually exclusive from democracy.

[United Ameritania]

You mean they elected a democrat who failed to fully fix the clusterfuck bequeathed to him by a republican?

If he's talking about Obama, that guy did a pretty damn good job, especially with Republicans vowing to obstruct his every move since the beginning.

Mhm, though their mentality has been mostly: "Dem democrats are gunna destroy murica, cuz of Obama, he gon fuck up.", Though Obama has been trying his best, and has made Good progress in fixing what Bush left him.

[America post-2040]

Surely the USA can't even be called a democracy so long as the Electoral College exists? As I understand it, in a Presidential Election, people aren't voting directly for the candidate they want as President, they are basically telling their state's representatives in the Electoral College who to elect. But the Electoral College doesn't have to listen to the voters do they? The entire country could vote Democrat but the EO could vote to elect a Republican. That means the US merely has the ILLUSION of democracy, rather than democracy itself. That's the way I see it.

That's only true for certain electoral colleges. I don't have the stats but I pretty most have to comply with the popular vote.

That is only the tip of the iceberg on the problems with true democracy in the USA, and even then a system that complies with the popular vote most of the time, but that still causes swing states and vital campaigning in them while virtually ignoring safe states (on both sides) and tiny swing states is still highly problematic.

[The Northernmost Americas]

Should the USA have direct/true democracy? The north south-divide would make for some riveting election tv.

[America post-2040]

Should the USA have direct/true democracy? The north south-divide would make for some riveting election tv.

I think it would make the USA more democratic, but significantly reducing the massive power of money in US politics would also be important (e.g. limiting campaign contributions, lobbying, the amount that can be spent on advertising, giving all candidates equal advertising output).

[The Northernmost Americas]

Taking the power to designate the location of military production away from congress would be good too.

[Ifreann]

The USA was never a true democracy.

"True democracy" being a meaningless term, it indeed was not.

[America post-2040]

Taking the power to designate the location of military production away from congress would be good too.

It would. Reducing corporate funds would also likely see less power in the hands of the massive arms companies and the investors who back them in times of war, for whom military spending is massively profitable, not to mention large companies who also profit from wars such as General Electric, due to the military related products they are asked to produce.

Obviously another issue here is the funding of corporations to the media, who give a massive voice to the "any reduction in military spending makes us weak / pathetic / going to be overrun by terrorists" argument lie.

[Multiversal Domanaeii]

Never was. Never will. True democracy is archy.

[America post-2040]

The USA was never a true democracy.

"True democracy" being a meaningless term, it indeed was not.

We can still attempt to define what a true democracy would be however, as I believe Rita Abrahamsen does a good job of doing.

[Vashtanaraada]

There never has been a true democracy, a direct democracy.

Switzerland has a direct democracy, but it's a complicated variant. Ancient Athens essentially only granted suffrage to wealthy men.

[Ifreann]

There never has been a true democracy, a direct democracy.

Switzerland has a direct democracy, but it's a complicated variant. Ancient Athens essentially only granted suffrage to wealthy men.

Surely Athenian democracy is true democracy, since they invented it.

[Vashtanaraada]

There never has been a true democracy, a direct democracy.

Switzerland has a direct democracy, but it's a complicated variant. Ancient Athens essentially only granted suffrage to wealthy men.

Surely Athenian democracy is true democracy, since they invented it.

Not when slaves, lower-caste men and all women couldn't vote.