Poll: Do You Live In a Democracy?

[rucky]

[ristruck]

1. Yes of course.

We just need to start acting like we do.

[MADem]

2. I live in a Republic, it doesn't stand for much lately, though n/t

[Beelzebud]

3. Of course not... It's a Constitutional Republic.

I'm appauled that there were 2 votes, as of my posting, that voted that yes we are...

NO WE AREN'T. We never have been.

This is a constitutional republic.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

4. well, considering that half the people in this

country believe there is no basis for evolution, it does not suprise me that a few think this is a democracy.

[Beelzebud]

5. Good point. We know The Simpsons better than our form of government.

I don't know why this is suprising to me but it is.

How can someone live their entire life, AND NOT KNOW WHAT FORM OF GOVERNMENT THEY HAVE?

FUCK...

[Minnesota Libra]

8. It may have been a Constitutional Republic but now.....

.....it's a dictatorship

[Beelzebud]

9. Maybe it's a dictatorship now, because too many people never bothered to-

read the constitution, or at least learn what form of government their country had...

[Minnesota Libra]

13. No, they let criminals take away what we had nt

[ristruck]

10. On Paper Yes

In reality no way. When the people energize things happen. If we think that the machines of both parties are always going to rule we will always sit on here and whine and complain until they even take this right away from us. Thomas Jefferson believed we were a democracy and said so many times. I tend to think he knew what he was talking about.

[Beelzebud]

12. In reality yes.... In a democracy, you and I would vote on the issues.

We wouldn't need "representatives" in a democracy.

We are not, and have never been a democracy.

[ristruck]

16. Jefferson's thoughts on the matter.

"When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.-Thomas Jefferson

"The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object."

This is what I am talking about when I say democracy. I am not talking about technical terms I am referring to the spirit of democracy that our founders believed in and so should we.

[tocqueville]

20. ONCE FOR ALL, REPUBLIC HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT

A republic is a form of state which isn't a MONARCHY (or a state where power is NOT HEREDITARY)

A democracy is a FORM OF GOVERNMENT where the rulers ARE ELECTED and basic freedoms warranted

which means :

a republic can be a democracy : France, Italy, Germany, Mexico, Venezuela
a republic can be a dictatorship : Belarus, China, North Korea, Cuba, Nazi-Germany, Syria, Saddam's Iraq
a republic can be a theocracy : Iran

A monarchy can be a democracy : Spain, UK, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark
A monarchy can be a dictatorship : Saudi Arabia
A monarchy can be a theocracy : old Morocco

The USA is a republic and formally a democracy

the confusion between Republic and Democracy is amazing. They have in reality nothing to do which eachother

when you say that the US NEVER BEEN A DEMOCRACY, it means that according to you no US president was ever elected


Democracy (from Greek δημοκρατία (demokratia), δημος (demos) the common people + κρατειν (kratein) to rule + the suffix ία (ia), literally "the common people rule") is a system where the population of a society controls the government. It may be narrowly defined as that of nation-state government specifically, or more broadly to describe a society as a whole, which can also exert political power and social power.

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

most nations that do not have a hereditary monarchy call themselves a Republic, and in its broadest sense the idea of a Republic can include almost any form of government that is not a Monarchy.

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

[havocmom]

22. I'm appalled that you are "applauded" about people voting their minds

:evilgrin:

[salin]

6. Other:

a seriously compromised democracy.

[TahitiNut]

7. Of course not.

If this were a democracy - even a representative democracy - then the public policies would EACH reflect the majority preferences. Instead, we get a Trojan Horse style of governance, where some amalgamation of stances holds sway, even where the positions on some issues are clearly in the minority interest.

Once upon a time, this wasn't anywhere nearly as corrupt. Various elected representatives, including the President, were committed to governing in each policy area according to the clearly prevalent public position. "Run from the left and govern from the center" was once a maxim of liberal Democrats, recognizing that every specific policy position needed to reflect the preferences of the majority of The People.

When the 'pResident' claims a "mandate" to force through legislation that only a minority of The People subscribe to, he's clearly being anti-democratic - an "elected" dictator.

[NJ Democrats]

11. No, I live in a Republic...

that has a Constitution that is being broken or ignored every day.

[havocmom]

14. Not until we can ensure safe, fair, accurate elections and vote counts

And not so long as giant corporations are buying Congressmen who let them write the laws they want.

And not so long as the Legislative Branch refuses to conduct proper oversight of the Executive Branch and stops nodding and accepting bull shit excuses and outright lies.

And not so long as illegitimate leaders appoint cronies to help them keep truth hidden and funnel the collective monies of the US citizens, held in the Treasury to do OUR bidding, to corporate masters.

Not so long as there is no active, vital FREE press to seek and expose the truth so that the citizenry can make informed choices and do the government oversight that is their duty and right.

No, I do not live in a democracy. Not lately.

[Beelzebud]

15. You never did. We're a republic. There IS a difference...

[rucky]

17. that wasn't exactly the point of the poll, though.

and it shouldn't invalidate any legitimate criticism.

[havocmom]

18. Um, yes, I know that. But in the common vernacular we call it democracy

We think of it as a Representative Democracy and in keeping with our habit as a people, we shorten it to Democracy then drop the capital D in favor of the lower case d which shows we know it is a diminutive form of the literal. :eyes:

And since we have to communicate with the masses who hear the lie that "Democracy is on the march!" pretty often, I CHOOSE to speak in a manner which will be understood by most. I do this even though, or sometimes because it breaks some ineffectual rule and annoys nit-pickers who would rather be literal than effective at communicating.

Peace, strength, and Democracy on the March here at home,
hm

[tocqueville]

21. see above nt

[rock]

19. It varies