So-Called American "Democracy"

[Eol Sha]

I love how the people bitching about the U.S. not being a democracy are Communists and Fascists.

It is pretty funny.

Anyway, yeah, I think the US is a democracy for the reasons expressed in the numerous other posts above.

[Ifreann]

Actually, America is a Federal Republic. Democracy is an ideology made by the Greeks, the founding fathers wanted a country similar to that fo the Greek voting system, it is not a Democratic government, which is why there are Republicians.

If the founding fathers of the United States wanted to recreate Athenian democracy then they failed miserably.

---

Actually, America is a Federal Republic. Democracy is an ideology made by the Greeks, the founding fathers wanted a country similar to that fo the Greek voting system, it is not a Democratic government, which is why there are Republicians.

Why are there so many people claiming that only direct democracy is democracy and that representative democracy, which we have, is not?

I've long suspected that it's meant to imply that the Democratic party is somehow Unamerican.

[GreatestBanks]

Actually, America is a Federal Republic. Democracy is an ideology made by the Greeks, the founding fathers wanted a country similar to that fo the Greek voting system, it is not a Democratic government, which is why there are Republicians.

If the founding fathers of the United States wanted to recreate Athenian democracy then they failed miserably.

---

Why are there so many people claiming that only direct democracy is democracy and that representative democracy, which we have, is not?

I've long suspected that it's meant to imply that the Democratic party is somehow Unamerican.

They did not intend it to be like Athenian Democracy, and lol to the bottom part.

[Eol Sha]

Actually, America is a Federal Republic. Democracy is an ideology made by the Greeks, the founding fathers wanted a country similar to that fo the Greek voting system, it is not a Democratic government, which is why there are Republicians.

If the founding fathers of the United States wanted to recreate Athenian democracy then they failed miserably.

---

Why are there so many people claiming that only direct democracy is democracy and that representative democracy, which we have, is not?

I've long suspected that it's meant to imply that the Democratic party is somehow Unamerican.

Hell, if you look at the national convention, the Democratic Party doesn't even believe in full-blown democracy. More like regulated democracy, what with the existence of superdelegates.

[GreatestBanks]

If the founding fathers of the United States wanted to recreate Athenian democracy then they failed miserably.

---

I've long suspected that it's meant to imply that the Democratic party is somehow Unamerican.

Hell, if you look at the national convention, the Democratic Party doesn't even believe in full-blown democracy. More like regulated democracy, what with the existence of superdelegates.

Technically the whole convention is undemocratic since if you go past the first round of delegate voting without a winner, delegates get to vote for whoever they want.

[The Qeiiam Star Cluster]

Hell, if you look at the national convention, the Democratic Party doesn't even believe in full-blown democracy. More like regulated democracy, what with the existence of superdelegates.

Technically the whole convention is undemocratic since if you go past the first round of delegate voting without a winner, delegates get to vote for whoever they want.

Which is a democracy, only with a very small electorate.

[Prybourne]

America is a Republic, not a Democracy

[Ifreann]

If the founding fathers of the United States wanted to recreate Athenian democracy then they failed miserably.

---

I've long suspected that it's meant to imply that the Democratic party is somehow Unamerican.

They did not intend it to be like Athenian Democracy, and lol to the bottom part.

I'm sure they didn't. I dare say they intended something broadly along the lines of what they founded. Elected legislature and chief executive, appointed judiciary.

---

If the founding fathers of the United States wanted to recreate Athenian democracy then they failed miserably.

---

I've long suspected that it's meant to imply that the Democratic party is somehow Unamerican.

Hell, if you look at the national convention, the Democratic Party doesn't even believe in full-blown democracy. More like regulated democracy, what with the existence of superdelegates.

No reason that what they employ to run their party to match what they think should be in place in government.

[Farnhamia]

Hell, if you look at the national convention, the Democratic Party doesn't even believe in full-blown democracy. More like regulated democracy, what with the existence of superdelegates.

Technically the whole convention is undemocratic since if you go past the first round of delegate voting without a winner, delegates get to vote for whoever they want.

Is that true, do the rules of the convention say that? It's a digression but I'm interested in knowing. I would have thought the candidate controlled his or her delegates until releasing them.

[The Qeiiam Star Cluster]

America is a Republic, not a Democracy

*sigh* It's both.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic

"A republic is a sovereign state or country which is organised with a form of government in which power resides in elected individuals representing the citizen body and government leaders exercise power according to the rule of law."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy

"Democracy is a system of government in which all the people of a state or polity are involved in making decisions about its affairs, typically by voting to elect representatives to a parliament or similar assembly."

[GreatestBanks]

Technically the whole convention is undemocratic since if you go past the first round of delegate voting without a winner, delegates get to vote for whoever they want.

Is that true, do the rules of the convention say that? It's a digression but I'm interested in knowing. I would have thought the candidate controlled his or her delegates until releasing them.

That's only the first round of voting m8.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brokered_convention

[Ifreann]

America is a Republic, not a Democracy

What if I told you America could be more than one thing?

[Eol Sha]

Technically the whole convention is undemocratic since if you go past the first round of delegate voting without a winner, delegates get to vote for whoever they want.

Is that true, do the rules of the convention say that? It's a digression but I'm interested in knowing. I would have thought the candidate controlled his or her delegates until releasing them.

If The West Wing show is any indication, the delegates were free to cast their votes for whoever they wanted.

They did not intend it to be like Athenian Democracy, and lol to the bottom part.

I'm sure they didn't. I dare say they intended something broadly along the lines of what they founded. Elected legislature and chief executive, appointed judiciary.

---

Hell, if you look at the national convention, the Democratic Party doesn't even believe in full-blown democracy. More like regulated democracy, what with the existence of superdelegates.

No reason that what they employ to run their party to match what they think should be in place in government.

Come again?

[Corunia and Mironor]

This has nothing to do with how democratic the US is. The US is undemocratic in many ways, but that is due to corruption, vote-buying, and the Electoral College, NOT foreign policy. I agree that the US should change its foreign policy and stop invading everything though

[Farnhamia]

Is that true, do the rules of the convention say that? It's a digression but I'm interested in knowing. I would have thought the candidate controlled his or her delegates until releasing them.

That's only the first round of voting m8.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brokered_convention

But ... says who, m8? That article sources no laws or even the party rules.

[Ifreann]

Is that true, do the rules of the convention say that? It's a digression but I'm interested in knowing. I would have thought the candidate controlled his or her delegates until releasing them.

If The West Wing show is any indication, the delegates were free to cast their votes for whoever they wanted.

I'm sure they didn't. I dare say they intended something broadly along the lines of what they founded. Elected legislature and chief executive, appointed judiciary.

---

No reason that what they employ to run their party to match what they think should be in place in government.

Come again?

It's quite possibly that they believe in a democratic government, but don't run their party entirely democratically.

[New United States of Columbia]

Something everyone seems to miss: the Founding Fathers did NOT want us to be a democracy. Look up John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton's thoughts on democracy and you'll see the hated the tyranny of one hundred as much as the tyranny of one.

[Ifreann]

Something everyone seems to miss: the Founding Fathers did NOT want us to be a democracy. Look up John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton's thoughts on democracy and you'll see the hated the tyranny of one hundred as much as the tyranny of one.

I guess all the elections came about by accident, then.

[GreatestBanks]

That's only the first round of voting m8.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brokered_convention

But ... says who, m8? That article sources no laws or even the party rules.

http://www.vox.com/2016/1/7/10728924/ho ... rk-graphic
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/could-repub ... next-july/

[New United States of Columbia]

Something everyone seems to miss: the Founding Fathers did NOT want us to be a democracy. Look up John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton's thoughts on democracy and you'll see the hated the tyranny of one hundred as much as the tyranny of one.

I guess all the elections came about by accident, then.

We're a Constitutional Republic that's supposed to work based on, but not a direct copy of, Greece and Rome. The elections aren't accidents as our system is supposed to blend and balance the ideas of Democracy, Plutocracy, and Monarchy.

[GreatestBanks]

That's only the first round of voting m8.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brokered_convention

But ... says who, m8? That article sources no laws or even the party rules.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/11/politics/ ... ald-trump/
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/this- ... le/2578270

[Farnhamia]

But ... says who, m8? That article sources no laws or even the party rules.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/11/politics/ ... ald-trump/
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/this- ... le/2578270

Okay, so the rules are on the state party level. Gotcha.

[Eol Sha]

Something everyone seems to miss: the Founding Fathers did NOT want us to be a democracy. Look up John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton's thoughts on democracy and you'll see the hated the tyranny of one hundred as much as the tyranny of one.

I'm pretty sure that this had already been mentioned or at least alluded to.

If The West Wing show is any indication, the delegates were free to cast their votes for whoever they wanted.


Come again?

It's quite possibly that they believe in a democratic government, but don't run their party entirely democratically.

Well, yeah. The '68 election really shook the party's confidence.

[The Burke Islands]

I can't believe this is a debate.

[Brickistan]

This has nothing to do with how democratic the US is. The US is undemocratic in many ways, but that is due to corruption, vote-buying, and the Electoral College, NOT foreign policy. I agree that the US should change its foreign policy and stop invading everything though

^ This...

US politics is deeply corrupt with Washington being bought lock, stock, and barrel by the One Percent.