[exmarine]

You said democracy and republic - no appreciable difference, yet you haven't given one example of a democracy where there is no appreciable difference to our republic. The roman republic did not resemble ours. Our republic was founded on judeo-christian principles and was placed UNDER GOD. Rome was pagan and did not recognize any rights for people that rome itself did not ascribe. Huge differences! You named one single similarity and then tried to say they were closely similar. Not.

[Modernman]

You said democracy and republic - no appreciable difference

I said there was no real difference between the definitions of a democracy and a republic. I did not say (nor do I believe) that there are no real differences between various republics/democracies. Every one is different, but they all have common traits.