Posted on 11/30/2019 7:32:56 AM PST by Moonman62
One of the most commonly encountered questions about the word democracy has nothing to do with its spelling or pronunciation, and isnt even directly related to the meaning of the word itself. That question is is the United States a democracy or a republic? The answer to this, as with so many other questions about meaning, may be phrased as some form of it depends.
Some people assert that a country calling itself a democracy must be engaged in direct (or pure) democracy, in which the people of a state or region vote directly for policies, rather than elect representatives who make choices on their behalf. People who follow this line of reasoning hold that the United States is more properly described as a republic, using the following definition of that word: "a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law."
However, both democracy and republic have more than a single meaning, and one of the definitions we provide for democracy closely resembles the definition of republic given above: "a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections."
So if someone asks you if the United States is a democracy or a republic, you may safely answer the question with either both or it depends.
(Excerpt) Read more at merriam-webster.com ...
As usual, its the wrong question.
It’s a dictatorship of the Deep State. Trump is doing what he can, but it’s an uphill battle.
“Democracy” is a very general term. We are a republic with democratic principals.
Spot on you got it.
Pre- or post- 17th Amendment?
If the mudsucking, cannot wipe their own butts fools get anymore in the general population, we will become a mob ruled democracy, where if you do not live in NYC or L.A., you will have no voice!!
I thought are form of government was whatever the fake news people, illegals, global warming “scientist, atheist, Face Book, Google, democrat congressmen, deep state and or LGBT people say it is?
I thought OUR form of government was whatever the fake news people, illegals, global warming “scientist”, atheist, Face Book, Google, democrat congressmen, deep state and or LGBT people say it is?
Wrong question.
Limping towards kakistocracy. Between mob rule Obama, Clinton crime family and Bushes the Baghdad thieves there is now trailer trash Biden family aiming at White House.
That's a primary reason for their resistance to POTUS Trump, viz. because he's not in it for the money. He's actually trying to serve the people, something that has not been done since ............... (fill in the blank).
Here’s the way I see it, JMHO.
As far as elections go, it most resembles democracy in the State Elections.
In the general election...PURE REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC.
The best of both worlds.
bump
If you want to have handy for constitutionally-illiterate Progressives who may call this a "democracy," then you want to read that Address.
Today, in 2019, when confronted with a decision between individual freedom and slavery, otherwise known as liberty and tyranny, Americans who prefer freedom must be armed with ideas and principles which are "self-evident" and plain. Otherwise, they cannot fend off the onslaught of the "counterfeit ideas" of Progressive ideologues.
When America's Founders and Framers of their Constitution wanted to convince ordinary farmers and citizens of the merits of a written "People's" Constitution to limit the powers of those to whom they entrust the powers of government, they published and circulated 85 essays, known as THE FEDERALIST.
It's time for citizens, once again, to examine those strong and clear words of Madison Hamilton, and Jay. They are just as clear for today's audience as they were then. Circulate the following excerpts to your friends. Even the least politically savvy will "get" Madison's meaning, especially in light of the power grab now going on in Washington. After all, THE FEDERALIST was the Framers' authoritative explanation of their Constitution, and directed by the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia in 1825 to be used as the text for its law school in its studies of "the general principles of liberty and the rights of man," and said by Jefferson to "constitute 'the general opinion of those who framed, and of those who accepted the Constitution of the U.S., on questions as to its genuine meaning.'":
"The house of representatives... can make no law which will not have its full operation on themselves and their friends, as well as the great mass of society. This has always been deemed one of the strongest bonds by which human policy can connect the rulers and the people together. It creates between them that communion of interest, and sympathy of sentiments, of which few governments have furnished examples; but without which every government degenerates into tyranny." - Federalist Papers, No. 57, February 19, 1788
"The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of the society; and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public trust." - Federalist Papers, No. 57, February 19, 1788
"Such will be the relation between the House of Representatives and their constituents. Duty gratitude, interest, ambition itself, are the cords by which they will be bound to fidelity and sympathy with the great mass of the people." - Federalist Papers, No. 57, February 19, 1788
"If it be asked what is to restrain the House of Representatives from making legal discriminations in favor of themselves and a particular class of the society? I answer, the genius of the whole system, the nature of just and constitutional laws, and above all the vigilant and manly spirit which actuates the people of America, a spirit which nourishes freedom, and in return is nourished by it." - Federalist Papers, No. 57, February 19, 1788
"An elective despotism was not the government we fought for; but one in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among the several bodies of magistracy as that no one could transcend their legal limits without being effectually checked and restrained by the others." - Federalist Papers, No. 58, 1788
"This power over the purse may, in fact, be regarded as the most complete and effectual weapon with which any constitution can arm the immediate representatives of the people, for obtaining a redress of every grievance, and for carrying into effect every just and salutary measure." - Federalist Papers, No. 58, 1788
"The propensity of all single and numerous assemblies (is) to yield to the impulse of sudden and violent passions, and to be seduced by factious leaders into intemperate and pernicious resolutions." - Federalist Papers, No. 62, February 27, 1788
"Every new regulation concerning commerce or revenue; or in any manner affecting the value of the different species of property, presents a new harvest to those who watch the change and can trace its consequences; a harvest reared not by themselves but by the toils and cares of the great body of their fellow citizens. This is a state of things in which it may be said with some truth that laws are made for the few not for the many." - Federalist Papers, No. 62, February 27, 1788
"It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man who knows what the law is today can guess what it will be tomorrow." - Federalist Papers, No. 62, February 27, 1788
Note particularly the following words of wisdom from Federalist No. 63, and take heart. You are doing what you were meant to do when you speak out on intrusions on your liberty. According to Madison:
"As the cool and deliberate sense of the community ought, in all governments, and actually will, in all free governments, ultimately prevail over the views of its rulers; so there are particular moments in public affairs when the people, stimulated by some irregular passion, or some illicit advantage, or misled by the artful misrepresentations of interested men, may call for measures which they themselves will afterwards be the most ready to lament and condemn. In these critical moments, how salutary will be the interference of some temperate and respectable body of citizens, in order to check the misguided career, and to suspend the blow meditated by the people against themselves, until reason, justice, and truth can regain their authority over the public mind?" - Federalist Papers, No. 63, 1788
It is neither. It is a Constitutional Republic at the Federal level which is much different than just a standard republic.
JoMa
Stupid question. Nowhere (authoritative) is it written that a republic government can’t be democratically elected.
It’s now a corrupt socialist aristocracy.
Republic REPUB'LIC, noun [Latin respublica; res and publica; public affairs.]
1. A commonwealth; a state in which the exercise of the sovereign power is lodged in representatives elected by the people. In modern usage, it differs from a democracy or democratic state, in which the people exercise the powers of sovereignty in person.
This is a typical liberal setup.
First you pick one “meaning” of a word and apply it.
“See, we’re a democracy.”
Next you use a different definition of that word.
“Since we’re a democracy it’s always majority rule and social equality.”
Then you pick a different word.
“See, we’re a socialism.”
Repeat until you get to communism.
As an example, look at global cooling, global warming, climate change, human caused climate change, climate crisis...
Or, Democrats, liberals, progressives, socialist Democrats, Socialists...
Then there’s interference, collusion, bribery, etc...
‘At the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Franklin was queried as he left Independence Hall on the final day of deliberation. In the notes of Dr. James McHenry, one of Marylands delegates to the Convention, a lady asked Dr. Franklin Well Doctor what have we got, a republic or a monarchy. Franklin replied, A republic . . . if you can keep it.’
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