Is the United States a Republic or a Democracy?

[Jaskalas]

We vote for people who then vote on our behalf. Of course we're a Republic. (Poll choice)

In a greater or more populist sense, "Democracy" is whether our people vote at all. Whether the voice of the majority can change the country. Whether we have human rights. To which the answer is we are also a "Democracy".

Such terms are often not just textbook definitions but also pop culture references.
Which case we are both a textbook Republic and a popular Democracy.

 

[fskimospy]

I am merely asserting my semantic disagreement via smug asshatery.

Are you trying to oppress my rights to assemble and speech?

I totally missed that, my mistake!

I imagine a few years in the gulag will straighten your attitude out, no need to get extreme.

 

[werepossum]

Our current form of governance is an Apathetic Inertial Attractor.

Our recent political hissy fits amount to spats over who we want to be in charge of delegating the work of re-arranging the deck chairs.

lol +1

 

[BurnItDwn]

That's only what the socialists want you to believe.

I do not know if I have ever met one of these so called socialists.

 

[Fern]

It's both. 'Democracy' can refer to things working where literally everyone votes on everything or it can refer to a system of government where sovereignty resides in the people. We are a Republic because power is wielded by representatives and we are a democracy because sovereignty resides in the people who elect them.

The 'the US is a Republic not a Democracy' thing is the worst kind of pedantry because the attempted pedant isn't even right.

Of course you could say that the US's electoral system is a plutocracy or whatever else based on how things are currently functioning, but at least on paper we are a democratic republic.

^This.

Fern

 

[John Connor]

Wait, you mean we don't live in a monarchy? Dammit, then who the hell is this King Burger I keep giving so much tax money to in exchange for the pittance of food he supplies me?

King Burger was Mayor Mc Cheese until he was assassinated near the Frosty knoll.

 

[compuwiz1]

I don't like to pick on millennials as all being stupid, lazy and other things said, but some are just not getting an education these days.....well they are, except they don't know about how the government works, but can tell you everything about the Kardashians, Milley, Justin, etc.

I've asked several high school and college students a question and I haven't found one yet who could answer a pretty basic question. The question is:

What are the three branches of government?

Are these lessons intentionally omitted from class room curriculum because lack of this type of knowledge makes it easier to have uninformed sheeple, whom the government can control?

 

[John Connor]

Yeah, there is a segment on O'reilly called Watter's World where he interviews people asking questions like this. Yes, they seem to know more about pop culture than anything they should know.

Frankly, if you don't know the three branches of government, you shouldn't be able to vote. The founding fathers should have realized that eventually dumb voters would screw this country up.

I've never been to college, but by the looks of it is sounds like I'd have fun! LOL!

 

[soulcougher73]

Plutocracy with the illusion of a democracy to keep the sheeple feeling special. But between your two choices "they" want you to think its democracy.

 

[soundforbjt]

Yeah, there is a segment on O'reilly called Watter's World where he interviews people asking questions like this. Yes, they seem to know more about pop culture than anything they should know.

Frankly, if you don't know the three branches of government, you shouldn't be able to vote. The founding fathers should have realized that eventually dumb voters would screw this country up.

I've never been to college, but by the looks of it is sounds like I'd have fun! LOL!

How educated do you think the people were around the time of the founding fathers? Most couldn't even read.

And Watter's World is just a bad rip-off of Leno's Jay Walking.