Is America a democracy?

[The Imperial Navy]

Does the Pope protect pedophiles?

I was expecting a comment like this.

[Albrante]

Um... Yes?

According to Wikipedia
"Democracy is a political government, carried out either directly by the people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy)
They elect a congress so um yeah I think its a Democracy.

[L3 Communications]

Okay, we've established that America is neither a democracy nor a republic, nor a democratic republic. What the hell is it, then?

I say corporate dictatorship.

Your communism is showing. America is a liberal (or constitutional), representative democracy.

Whether or not it fits your skewed, politically biased definition on what exactly makes it a liberal democracy beyond voting in representatives and that democracies must, by some grace of God or other nonsense, have political offices open to every single man, woman and child is not included in this definition. The United States is, by its nature of election of representatives to a House of Representatives and Senators through state elections, a democracy.

/thread

[Gordonisia]

Does the Pope protect pedophiles?

I was expecting a comment like this.

then that makes you a prophet

[Natapoc]

Um... Yes?

According to Wikipedia
"Democracy is a political government, carried out either directly by the people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy)
They elect a congress so um yeah I think its a Democracy.

Wikipedia is not an authoritative source nor does it attempt or claim to be so. It is to serve as an introduction to various topics.

[The Imperial Navy]

Does the Pope protect pedophiles?

I was expecting a comment like this.

then that makes you a prophet

I predict a witty remark will follow...



Ok, maybe not.

[Lackadaisical2]

as long as it represents economic interests and economic interests only, at the expense of real people, places and things, to call it a democracy is utter travesty.

but most people agree with that anyway.

[Monocrat]

Does the Pope protect pedophiles?

I was expecting a comment like this.

then that makes you a prophet

I predict a witty remark will follow...



Ok, maybe not.

You, of all people, would expect a comment like that.

[L3 Communications]

I made a mistake. I meant to type "liberal, representative democratic republic".

Um... Yes?

According to Wikipedia
"Democracy is a political government, carried out either directly by the people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy)
They elect a congress so um yeah I think its a Democracy.

Wikipedia is not an authoritative source nor does it attempt or claim to be so. It is to serve as an introduction to various topics.

Because NSG is a proper debate arena, where fact-checking matters.

[Palledonia]

Um... Yes?

According to Wikipedia
"Democracy is a political government, carried out either directly by the people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy)
They elect a congress so um yeah I think its a Democracy.

Wikipedia is not an authoritative source nor does it attempt or claim to be so. It is to serve as an introduction to various topics.

Not this again...

As long as a page has enough sources and dodgy facts have sources by them. It's good enough.

[The Imperial Navy]

Does the Pope protect pedophiles?

I was expecting a comment like this.

then that makes you a prophet

I predict a witty remark will follow...



Ok, maybe not.

You, of all people, would expect a comment like that.

[Natapoc]

Um... Yes?

According to Wikipedia
"Democracy is a political government, carried out either directly by the people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy)
They elect a congress so um yeah I think its a Democracy.

Wikipedia is not an authoritative source nor does it attempt or claim to be so. It is to serve as an introduction to various topics.

Not this again...

As long as a page has enough sources and dodgy facts have sources by them. It's good enough.

It is good enough to be used and serve as an overview and introduction to the material much like any encyclopedia. It is not good enough to be considered a "definitive source" such that one can use it in the way the poster I replied to used it.

[Raul Caribe]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

exactly we never have been a democracy and are not supposed to be.

[Maurepas]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

exactly we never have been a democracy and are not supposed to be.

Wrong on both accounts, we have always been a democracy, and were always supposed to be, as well as a Republic...

The terms are not mutually exclusive, and both apply to the United States...

[Albrante]

Um... Yes?

According to Wikipedia
"Democracy is a political government, carried out either directly by the people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy)
They elect a congress so um yeah I think its a Democracy.

Wikipedia is not an authoritative source nor does it attempt or claim to be so. It is to serve as an introduction to various topics.

Yes, but the majority of things on wikipedia are sourced to factual reports, articles and statistics.

[Natapoc]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

exactly we never have been a democracy and are not supposed to be.

Wrong on both accounts, we have always been a democracy, and were always supposed to be, as well as a Republic...

The terms are not mutually exclusive, and both apply to the United States...

I kinda like the idea that we are just a republic. It encourages the fermentation of revolutionary potential. After all, if we are not a democracy then the government is illegitimate.

Why would any advocate of democracy want to call the current situation in the united states anything associated with democracy?

[Kazerne]

The United States is a democracy only in the broadest sense of the word. To be more specific, we are a representative democracy, or, in a single word, a democracy. This means that we elect officials to represent us in a body of law, which will pass and abide by such laws as it will enact. In fact, the word 'republic' comes from the Latin 'res' and 'publica', which collectivly mean 'the public thing'--the rule of law, which applies to everyone, or 'the public'. To become even more specific, the United States is a federal republic. To help refresh your memory, a federation has a separation of powers between the unifying government and the subordinate components. Applied to the American example, the national government reserves some powers for itself, but grants the states--the subordinate components--powers that the national government cannot interfere in. This is spelled out explicitly in Article I and Article IV, as well as mentinoned in Amendment X.

Unfortunately, the meaning of the word 'democracy' has become so perverted over the years that we (Meaning children and teenagers, along with certain adults 18-22), have grown up with the impression that America is a true democracy where everyone has a say in the running of the government, and that anyone eligible can be elected to the position of President. This has to stop, and stop immediatly. The more teachers and educators drop the bullshit and smack schoolchildren with a healthy dose of reality early on, the better the United States will be for it.

[L3 Communications]

I kinda like the idea that we are just a republic. It encourages the fermentation of revolutionary potential. After all, if we are not a democracy then the government is illegitimate.

Why would any advocate of democracy want to call the current situation in the united states anything associated with democracy?

The real question is: Why would anyone advocate democracy after seeing what it has done to the United States?

[Raul Caribe]

Of course the U.S is a democracy...what are you on?

anybody know what this is from? jeeze schools and people these days...
"of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands"

[Maurepas]

Um... Yes?

According to Wikipedia
"Democracy is a political government, carried out either directly by the people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy)
They elect a congress so um yeah I think its a Democracy.

Wikipedia is not an authoritative source nor does it attempt or claim to be so. It is to serve as an introduction to various topics.

Not this again...

As long as a page has enough sources and dodgy facts have sources by them. It's good enough.

It is good enough to be used and serve as an overview and introduction to the material much like any encyclopedia. It is not good enough to be considered a "definitive source" such that one can use it in the way the poster I replied to used it.

It's good enough for this purpose, and is just as definitive as most other sources...Britannica will tell you the same thing, for example...

The US is a democracy, as the Wiki stated, but, whether you consider it democratic enough is another matter, personally, I would agree that it isn't...

[Palledonia]

What UAWC (Being his commie self) was trying to move the debate into was how plutocratic the American "Democratic" process is. You MUST be rich to get a whole-national voice.

[Maurepas]

Of course the U.S is a democracy...what are you on?

anybody know what this is from? jeeze schools and people these days...
"of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands"

Technically, that pledge is Unconstitutional,

But, in all seriousness, just because the United States is a Republic, does not mean it is not a Democracy...

It is both, and always has been...

[Albrante]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index
This article on wikipedia makes some interesting points.
First it says that America gets an 8.22 making it a full democracy.
The second thing I noticed is that the most democratic countries are, for the most part, constitutional monarchies.
and Third for all that want to thrash Wikipedia's lack of factuality it is taken from an list compiled by The Economist.

[Satirius]

Don't they teach this in middle school anymore?


No. The US is a republic.

In my middle school they told me that both America and Canada are democracies.

I never thought I would quote the Time Cube in earnest, but you were educated stupid. Representative democracy where law>all is a res publici.

Republics are a relative of democracy, but it is not rule by the people, it is rule by the law.

[Natapoc]

Um... Yes?

According to Wikipedia
"Democracy is a political government, carried out either directly by the people (direct democracy) or by means of elected representatives of the people (representative democracy)
They elect a congress so um yeah I think its a Democracy.

Wikipedia is not an authoritative source nor does it attempt or claim to be so. It is to serve as an introduction to various topics.

Not this again...

As long as a page has enough sources and dodgy facts have sources by them. It's good enough.

It is good enough to be used and serve as an overview and introduction to the material much like any encyclopedia. It is not good enough to be considered a "definitive source" such that one can use it in the way the poster I replied to used it.

It's good enough for this purpose, and is just as definitive as most other sources...Britannica will tell you the same thing, for example...

The US is a democracy, as the Wiki stated, but, whether you consider it democratic enough is another matter, personally, I would agree that it isn't...

The person I responded to was acting as if wiki was an infallible authoritative source which we should accept without question. It is not. Actually nothing is but especially sources like wiki are not (because wiki does not aim to be truthful to the furthest extent but rather neutral and representative).

If he had been treating it as advice for better understanding of the word democracy or as another point of view supported by some sources then I would have said nothing.