The difference between a Democracy and a Republic?

[kentuck]

See, in a democracy, the majority rules. Yesterday's vote on background checks would have passed in a democracy. But, we do not live in a democracy. We live in a republic.

And the republic we live in can ignore the majority. They are ruled by the elite and by special interests. The people are secondary in a republic.

Those that prefer a republic to a democracy are called "Republicans". They really don't care what the majority of people think. They have their own agenda.

But, our Senate voted for a republican form of government by not voting to do away with the filibuster, which requires 60% of the vote of the Senate just to discuss the issue. This is anathema to the very idea of a "democracy".

So, until we have a Senate with the backbone to vote for a democracy over a republic, the people will continue to be ignored and shit upon.

[Recursion]

1. This is a made-up distinction. A country can be one, or both, or neither

A country is a republic if its head of state is not a monarch.

A country is a democracy if its government's authority is derived from the people.

There's no reason a country can't be both.

[kentuck]

2. Yes, you are correct.

It is my made-up distinction.

[kestrel91316]

3. Teabaggers constantly scream that we are not a democracy.

Sometimes I think they long for a dictatorship.

[lastlib]

4. yes, they want us all down on our knees in the church of their choice......

that's their view of freedom.

[kentuck]

5. I am convinced there are many more Repubs that don't know why they are Repubs....

...than Democrats that don't know why they are Democrats?

[ashling]

6. This argument is misleading at best; assinine at worst

The actual distinction is between the two is between a direct democracy and a representative democracy.

[Recursion]

7. Then say that. "Republic" does not mean "representative democracy".

North Korea is a republic.

[truedelphi]

8. Uh, wait a minute.

Our nation is a republic, as that is how it is set up.

Although when the Republican Party was set up, that idea of "republic" was the principle that helped them decide on their name. And they were the liberals - if you don't believe that, watch the movie "Lincoln" that came out over the last few months. They remained the friend of the working person - when strikers took to the streets of Chicago in the 1890's, they were the Party that put together full page ads for Chicago newspapers that announced their support for the strikers.

Now neither of the two parties cares one whit about workers. We have had thirty years of republicans followed by Democrats, and it is the same old same old - we have to increase military spending, we have to send jobs overseas (NAFTA came about under Clinton, who was its chief supporter!,) we need to trim the social safety net while expanding Corporate Welfare.


Anyway, back to the notion of republic vs democracy...Did you want a majority opinion back in Feb 1865? Made by everyday people, to perpetuate the notion that slavery is A-Okay?

The distinction is that those we elect ponder the issues, and vote their consciences, sometimes in opposition to those folks in the district who voted for them. This happened even regarding the Vietnam War, and also the impeachment of Richard Nixon. People in Congress pondered the issues and considered themselves perhaps a notch or two more informed than the person they represented, and then voted their conscience.

The problem in our country is much more than democracy vs republic. It is the fact that we are an oligarchy (or should I spell that oiligarchy?) Those "people" who are big-billions-of-dollars-of-profit corporations basically own the elected officials. And at the end of the day, the only thing "informing" 95% of our elected officials is MONEY!

[kentuck]

9. So we are neither?

A democracy or a republic?

[truedelphi]

10. Ask yourself about this -

IMNSHO, It is definitely not a democracy.

Polls showed overwhelming support for Single Payer Universal Health care for all. Over 70% of Americans wanted this or MediCare for all. Both Obama and Congress told us this was not possible. Their notion of Health Care Reform was to leave the very element that needed reforming - that is, the Big Health Insurers, in charge of the program!

Over 50% of all Americans want marijuana legalized and the drug wars ended. Again, when you ask Congressional people about their views, an un-whelming number of them favor this policy - 3%.

Three percent! But Big Pharma is helping these critters fund their campaigns, so that is why they think like this.

Most people favor abortion. Our Congressional leaders are still "open to the other side" on this issue. Even though abortion is legal, many women cannot afford to traipse all across their state to get one, at one of the few available clinics where the procedure is done in their area.

I predict that if Congress doesn't wake up soon, in the very new future, there will be a Unity Party that comes in and sweeps these two parties aside. It will get rid of the drug war, it will see to it the Health Care System is indeed reformed, and it will end the horrendous and exhaustingly expensive policies of Homeland Security.

We are being told we cannot afford seniors on Social Security at the same time in history when 67 BearCats were foisted on 67 Counties here in California. These vehicles cost about one million bucks a piece, and were developed to withstand an IED attack, and are cumbersome to use. Many of them will end up parked in a garage somewhere. We are shutting down our libraries and schools to amp up Homeland Security, letting them buy over 220 Millions of Rounds of ammo - but closing down libraries?:

But there are plenty of lobbyists for military hardware, and not that many, if any, for libraries!.

[Fumesucker]

11. What we actually have is a Mammonocracy, the majority of the money gets what it wants.. n/t

[truedelphi]

12. A lot of different types of people re coming up with different words to

Descrine the new phenomena of life in this nation. Mammocracy is as good as any, as it also includes Americans' breast fetich!

Here is another take on the situation:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism



Inverted totalitarianism is a term coined by political philosopher Sheldon Wolin to describe what he believes to be the emerging form of government of the United States. Wolin believes that the United States is increasingly turning into an illiberal democracy, and he uses the term "inverted totalitarianism" to illustrate the similarities and differences between the United States governmental system and totalitarian regimes such as Nazi Germany and the Stalinist Soviet Union.[