America Is Not a Democracy

They are using the word democracy in the colloquial sense. If you read the article it’s clear they are talking about a growing disconnect between policy makers’ decisions and the needs/wants of the public. Just saying, “never has been one” isn’t helpful.

Re: America Is Not a Democracy

#7

Post by d0lph » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 5:43 PM UTC

madengr wrote: post #4

VonGuard wrote: post #2

Never has been.

Yes. It is a constitutional republic. A democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.

Actually a republic is a type of democracy.

Re: America Is Not a Democracy

#8

Post by madengr » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 5:45 PM UTC

d0lph wrote: post #7

madengr wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. It is a constitutional republic. A democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.

Actually a republic is a type of democracy.

The People's Democratic Republic of Korea is both.

Re: America Is Not a Democracy

#9

Post by d0lph » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 5:53 PM UTC

madengr wrote: post #8

d0lph wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually a republic is a type of democracy.

The People's Democratic Republic of Korea is both.

In spite of the name, North Korea is a dictatorship.

Re: America Is Not a Democracy

#10

Post by emodendroket » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 5:54 PM UTC

> It is true that to recover its citizens’ loyalty, our democracy needs to curb the power of unelected elites who seek only to pad their influence and line their pockets. But it is also true that to protect its citizens’ lives and promote their prosperity, our democracy needs institutions that are, by their nature, deeply elitist. This, to my mind, is the great dilemma that the United States—and other democracies around the world—will have to resolve if they wish to survive in the coming decades.

I think I'd harken back to an older view of the conflict: large concentrations of wealth (the natural result of our economic system, unregulated) are in direct opposition to the principle of "one man, one vote."