America is -

46 Comments

  • James,jamesofthecommons - 13 years ago

    To all the conservatives who have insulted liberals because of our correct estimation that the US is both a republic and democracy; it is you who are the idiots ,and it is you who do not know jack about our countries history.
    We are not merely a constitutional republic,since in fact, our nation features a government that governs according to the principle of government by the people,''demos'' for the people. Contrary to what you conservatives believe,we the people are not governend by a contract which we must abide by regardless of our will ! It is a fact,that we the people,are free, via our government represenitives to amend the US constitution according to our needs and will.The US constitution belongs to the American people,we do not belong to the constitution !
    And one more thing you freedom hating, jackass conservatives; the American public in no way constitutes a mob ! A mob,operates outside of the law,and lacks the right to enforce,or change the law.The American public when engaged in the political process,has every right to do so ! Mobs,regardless of how large,do not constitute,nor represent the majority of the people of any nation.It is absurd ,even down right un-American,to refer to the American public,or a majority block of that public as a mob ! You damend conservatives,in your,ignorance,arragance and out-right stupidity ,re destroying this country !

  • Chris - 14 years ago

    The United States is a federation of fifty democratic republics which, itself, has a republican form of government with some well-ingrained democratic institutions. Most of the democracy in this country, however, occurs at the municipal level.

  • PAT - 15 years ago

    BENJAMEN FRANKLIN WAS ASKED WHAT FORM OF GOVERNMENT DID THE FOUNDING FATHERS DECIDE UPON. HIS ANSWER WAS "A REPUBLIC IF YOU CAN KEEP IT"

  • Grady - 15 years ago

    Thanks Brad. Ken lives in his mom's basement and rarely dresses or showers. He only takes the time to blog when his game computer is re-setting. Just look at the polls on this site. Read some of the questions. Very telling. But if you look at the results you will see that they are even more telling. For me this site is history.

  • Sam - 15 years ago

    This has to be the most ridiculous site I have ever seen. The problem with the left is that they constantly try to make up history as they go. None of you idiot libs have a clue about the history of this country (or even care to) apart from what your leftist buddies have mangled, twisted and poured down your throats. PATHETIC!!!

    And no, I'm NOT a republican.

  • Greg - 15 years ago

    Republic at the Federal level, but the number of states with really low bars to creating initiatives to override statewide republican (small "R") philosophy puts a lot of direct mob-rule democracy at the state level.

  • jjkm - 15 years ago

    Funny how many different opinions there are...obviously there is massive ambiguity in the use of these terms in English.

  • cruth - 15 years ago

    Possibly many, like de Tocqueville did, know that the simple democracy that socialists like Chomsky advocate, is pretty much just "mob rule" .. without adequate respect for personal and other boundaries. They will come for your guns. Then they will come for your gold.

  • MikeB - 15 years ago

    Federal Republic with strong democratic leanings. Therefore "a democracy and a republic" is a fair answer.

  • weedpuller - 15 years ago

    There are several possible types of Democracy(rule by the demos(the people))! There is direct Democracy in which the citizens vote on community issues and rules and decide how to deal with those issues and make those rules. Then their are Representative kinds of democracies in which the individual citizens vote for representatives who then are empowered vote on issues and make laws on behalf of them. The government we have is not a direct/pure democracy but an operational hybrid made necessary because direct democracy is cumbersome and does not work as well from a management/working point of view when the number of citizens are large and diverse. For an example, just Look at all the difficulties Californians are having trying to operate by direct democracy principles by voting on citizen propositions .

    Those who like simple answers are not seeing the complex nature of our form of government which is both a democracy and a republic as framed in the US Constitution's Articles of good governance and its amendments which have increased the number of eligible voting citizens. If there are clusters of power being created and destroyed as issues change, it is the democratic structure of our Republic that provides the flexibility to adapt and move forward to a better wiser society of individuals. Unfortunately it is a messy process that does not guarantee progress because of individual differences in knowledge,values and expectations about what freedom is and its associated obligations in a community context!

  • Mike Howell - 15 years ago

    We vote for representatives. No such voting is required in a republic; citizens didn't vote for representatives in the Roman republic, for example. The fact that we elect representatives indicates that we are a democratic republic. We are not a pure democracy, and we are not a pure republic; we have elements of both. Cassandra's argument for oligarchy would work if there were only one branch of government and one elected office, but that isn't the case. The Electoral College only applies to one office, while we are ruled by a system that includes three branches of government and hundreds of elected representatives. The E.C. doesn't have anything to do with the legislative branch.

    It is the fact that individual citizens of legal age have a right to participate in the electoral process that makes us partially democratic. We are also a constitutional republic. The terms are not mutually exclusive. "Democratic Republic" is the best answer.

  • nobama - 15 years ago

    Dear 'Timothy Ready', YOU ARE AN IDIOT.

  • thebalilama - 15 years ago

    Maybe if people looked up the definitions they could find some common ground. According to the dictionary we are both a democracy and a republic. Why is there such an investment in having them be mutually exclusive? From the comments it looks like that exclusivity argument is primarily coming from the right. Who is threatened here?
    When the USA was founded, the conservatives were Tories and monarchists. Could there be a lesson here?

    Dictionary:
    democracy |diˈmäkrəsē|
    noun ( pl. -cies)
    a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives : capitalism and democracy are ascendant in the third world.
    • a state governed in such a way : a multiparty democracy.
    • control of an organization or group by the majority of its members : the intended extension of industrial democracy.
    • the practice or principles of social equality : demands for greater democracy.
    ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from French démocratie, via late Latin from Greek dēmokratia, from dēmos ‘the people’ + -kratia ‘power, rule.’
    Thesaurus:
    democracy
    noun
    a democracy in Iraq is quite unlikely for now or any time soon representative government, elective government; self-government, government by the people; republic, commonwealth. antonym dictatorship.

    Dictionary:
    republic |riˈpəblik|
    noun
    a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch.
    • archaic figurative a community or group with a certain equality between its members.
    ORIGIN late 16th cent.: from French république, from Latin respublica, from res ‘concern’ + publicus ‘of the people, public.’

  • Sean - 15 years ago

    As a society/nation, America - and it should be obvious which America I'm referring to - is morally corrupt, under-educated, and lazy. Personal responsibility has left our consideration and emotion has trumped logic in our decision making process. Has anyone even stopped to consider this question: If Socialism works, will/should we allow it? Personally, I say that is unacceptable. Those of us who want Socialism are looking for some one else to make all the big decision's for them and to always know what is best is for them. This goes directly against the kind of individual activism that led to the founding of our nation. Revisionist historiography asserts that the Founding Fathers manipulated colonists for their own benefit. In reality, the Founding Fathers were forced to find a common goal with their fellow colonists and England was widely viewed to be a common enemy. These people assessed the situation for themselves and determined their own path. Where has that desire to know and decide, to sink or swim gone? We are a Republic led - supposedly - by democratically elected officials. We have become the paper tigers of democracy and our republic is fading.

  • Dean Hyatt - 15 years ago

    PS, we live in a fascist state with leaders chosen by marginal electoral majorities enjoying popular support, particularly in the media.

  • Dean Hyatt - 15 years ago

    The question is not what it was intended to be or what you hope it might still retain a little of, but what it is. It has long functioned as a democracy in its slide into populist disentragation. The government has long ignored the Constitution, particularly in economic matters. The government has done wonderful things with the economy, RIGHT! Get real!

  • Langalibalele - 15 years ago

    Hmm. Interesting comments. What is a democratic republic? What we have in the US; however, given the Constitution, which preserved a racist democracy until the Voting Rights Act of 1963, I would argue that the EEUU is a constitutional republic, not a democratic one.

  • gregbirddizelec - 15 years ago

    A "Republic" means simply an independent nation, governed by the citizens who formally occupy it. A "Democracy" is simply rule by a voting citizenry. The United States is supposed to be a "Constitutional Republic." Over the years the US Constitution has been subverted to an extreme extent by the same types of factions and interest groups warned about in the early founding fathers' "Federalist Papers."

    As for value-judgements concerning these terms, one should remember I think in economic hard times, these two important quotes from ones I consider great thinkers:

    Adam Smith in The Wealth Of Nations: The establishments of empires seldom if ever reap a greater profit than they incur expenditures. (paraphrase)

    Ayn Rand in Capitalism, The Unknown Ideal: If anything should be banned by the state it should be the use of force, in any form whatsoever. (paraphrase)

    Oh...one more: "That state governs best which governs least, and that state which governs best of all governs not at all; and when people deserve it that is the government they will have." (pretty close I think to Thoreau's exact words)

  • Robert E. Nordlander - 15 years ago

    How can the adjective "democratic" be used to describe the American republic.
    The Founding Fathers created only one institution to be elected by the people. That was the House of Representatives. It took over a hundred years to get the senate included. The elections of 1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000 went against the will of the people. Until people are no longer at the mercy of impersonal economic forces and can really determine their own economic fate, we will never be a "democracy.

  • Mike - 15 years ago

    WOW!!!! Claudi.....welcome to your type of socialist government that's spending tax payers money like no other time within this counry and it has only been a month........the day is coming when the citizens will wake from their slumber and take this country back, by force if necessary........now that you seem fond of this bullshit presidency hope you can swim when he and his sinks in the shit the "anointed one" is spewing..........

  • Scott Larsen - 15 years ago

    The question was written by someone who doesn't know what he/she is talking about. There is not a correct choice given.

  • Claudi - 15 years ago

    I agree with Steve. I'm a Socialist & Hitler's National Socialist Party had as much to do with socialism as Georgie Bush's neo-RepubliCon-Conservatism has to do with real economic & social Republican Conservatism. We have devolved into a corporatist-fascism that was born into being under Ronny Ray-gun Reagan & has grone to its monstrous reality under the Cheney-Bush regime. Corporations rule & use what is left of government to serve their needs, protect them from paying for their dirty deeds, & feed them public money by the trillions. The collusion of government & corporate-capitalism is the definition of fascism. Welcome to the real world, people.......

  • Perry Logan - 15 years ago

    A constitutional republic is a type of democracy. To say the United States is not a democracy is like saying a Buick is not a car.

  • Timothy Ready - 15 years ago

    Phil Kraker- you're an idiot. You're taking valuable time away from your Hannity listening to comment on climate issues your moronic ass obviously knows nothing about.

    Erik- Fuck you. Blockheads like yourself make Democracy an untenable offense against functioning society.

  • Phil Kraker - 15 years ago

    Now I see where this constitutional Republic crap is coming from - Wikipedia. We live in a Representative Republic and aimeovaldi got it right first. So, I would guess that (s)he actually went to school and studied government or maybe is just an educated person generally. Your answer was correct and very succinct. Obviously, many could learn from you - now to fix the erroneous Wikipedia who seems to be trying too hard to explain our government which has been a Representative Republic since I learned it in the 1950's. I don't recall hearing of our country changing that until now, when it seems they DO want a democracy - but only when it works out for them, of course (e.g. AlGore, the 2000 election and the unanswered cries regarding the popular vote)
    Its strange that Wikipedia basically made up a new type of government in order to explain a representative republic. I had just looked up "the US economy" using Google and in the process read that the US is a Representative Republic, which i had already known so i didn't think anything of it until i read this question. knowing how much the public schools are failing our children (they are almost stupid compared to the kids in the 50's) I just had to read the comments. Before I looked at them, i thought they were all going to scream, "We are a Representative Republic!" Now I know my fear for America's future is warranted.

  • Phil Kraker - 15 years ago

    The United States is a Representative Republic and who you agree with makes no difference when you deal with facts. (Except for the new Global Warmists who get paid to believe that idiocy.)

  • Omegis13 - 15 years ago

    @Steve, Neither Hitler's Germany nor Mussolini's Italy were capitalistic in nature. They were socialist nations. Hell, the proper name for Hitler's Nazi Party is the National Socialist German Workers' Party. Mussolini is famously quoted as saying "Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power." There was nothing remotely capitalistic of either nation under fascism. Please, go read a history book. :)

  • mike - 15 years ago

    @Ken Houghton: The percentage of people who dont know whats going on are the leftie whack-jobs, jackass. Ever watch Jay Leno ask everyday people simple questions about this nation? THEY are representative of your wonderful left-winged idiot, in America.

  • dave - 15 years ago

    hard to believe you all got it wrong, "FEDERAL REPUBLIC" is the correct answer.
    as in the federal government, the arm that holds the republic together, as in the states, you folks spend a lot of time wondering about your views on reality rather than spending some time wondering whats going on in reality.
    for the clown that said we elected a non citizen, hawaii is a part of this country, his mother was a citizen all her life, making him a citizen of the united states.
    I'd call you all genuises if you were!

  • Steve - 15 years ago

    Its a corporate facist goverment, with goals not that unlike the capitalist facist goverments of Germany and Italy that gave us WWII in their drive to control the world market systems. It was oil and markets then as it is today. They have just put new names on everything to hide their evil intents. The recession will be used to expand thier efforts and drive wages down to produe more profits for them, for world expansion. Needed to also prepare for larger military expansion and possible larger conflicts. Oligargy here and in europe.

  • Steve - 15 years ago

    Its a corporate facist goverment, with goals not that unlike the capitalist facist goverments of Germany and Italy that gave us WWII in their drive to control the world market systems. It was oil and markets then as it is today. They have just put new names on everything to hide their evil intents. The recession will be used to expand thier efforts and drive wages down to produe more profits for them, for world expansion. Needed to also prepare for larger military expansion and possible larger conflicts. Oligargy here and in europe.

  • GSO - 15 years ago

    I agree with Jack.

  • Patrick - 15 years ago

    Bob is one of the reasons why society have gone to hell. The country is a republic and has been since it was founded, the liberal agenda of democracy have misled people because of the poor socialist teaching in the schools.

  • Shari - 15 years ago

    I'm 47 and was taught in grade school, junior high, high school, and college that the U.S. was a Democratic Republic. I was corrected when I referred to it as a Democracy (as well I should have been).

    And, by the way, Obama was born in Hawaii. Last time I heard, it was still part of the U.S.

  • Cassandra Purdey - 15 years ago

    Technically, because of the electoral college, America is an oligarchy. People don't vote for candidates, they vote for people who will then go and vote for candidates. So no, technically not a democracy. Sorry, it's just the facts. But a republic? Yeah.

  • Norm - 15 years ago

    Whatever You call it as long as We Follow Strickly the Founder's/Framer's Decleraton Of Independence, The Constitution and the Bill Of Rights(F/F Big 3) with the Oversight and Consequences Necessary To Flollow Them so We will be what We want to be. It was all done to disconect from Europes kingdom/fascist corporatism type governace(top down) and increase the numbers of wealth and happiness of the Middle Class and help underprivialedged into it. Anything going toward top down should be on trial!
    Anyone that desires top down are imature, paranoid, greedy frightful people!
    Increasing the Middle Class streangthens Our Idealogy of Us as Unitedstatesians(not Americans). The more people pumped into the middle class and increasing their wealth the better off the whole world. Lead by example not by imperialistic war.
    Measure everything by the 'F/F Big 3' and be not afraid!
    Look at everything as whole workings(where are they or it going) and not narrowed down thoughts.
    The Professor(TH) has indicated that Iroquis and other prominante Indiginous have got great influence of framing the f/f Big 3. Near 2/3rds influence.

    One side thing: Kudo's to BOB for stating that we alienate people in our hemisphere by saying we are Americans. I've been saying that we are UNITEDSTATESIANS as part of the Americas.

  • Bob - 15 years ago

    The question is misleading, which america are we talking about....North America, Central America or South America.....oh we thing we are the only America....hence we are the UNITED STATES of the America's

  • Tom - 15 years ago

    One has only to go to the Pledge of Allegiance - "and the Republic for which...." I voted for the Republic/Democracy choice, though.

  • Jack - 15 years ago

    I think Matt is the closest one to the truth so far.

  • Matt - 15 years ago

    We are certainly a republic. We are, however, a practicing Democracy. There is much more to democracy then just voting, such as minority rights(may be racial but not limited to race) and equal opportunity which we have not even come close to realizing. There is also the idea of equality under the law, which is also far from perfect with in our system.

  • Brad - 15 years ago

    Ken - you're a moron. I hope you don't hold a job of great importance.
    The US is a constitutional republic. The word "Democratic" doesn't appear even one time in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution. The word Republic DOES appear. The founders of this country were scared to death of pure Democracy which is nothing more than mob rule.
    Never heard of this site before today and I don't think I'll ever look at it again.
    By-the-way, the report was $150,000 for the clothes. What was Obama's clothing bill? How much was the MD80 he chartered to fly to Washington today? A plane that holds 120 people so he can go to tour the whitehouse?
    I wonder what his carbon foot print was. I guess a lear jet didn't make him feel important enough.
    Fact is Kem probably has no job. He's one of the Obama supporters that finally has hope. Hope for a lot of free stuff.

  • aimeovaldi - 15 years ago

    In all candor, the United States is a Representative Republic - hence the electoral college. The matter of Palin's clothing is unimportant since you can put lipstick on a ................

  • erik - 15 years ago

    sad... now we know why a non citizen is about to be elected

  • Cynizen - 15 years ago

    No, the actual form of government is a constitutional republic. Modern trends may lean towards calling our nation a democratic republic, which amounts to little more than representative mob rule. Our system, designed by our founding fathers, is not that of the rule of the majority, but rather that of the rule of law. A danger of majority rule is the oppression of the individual.

    Neo-cons are all about that.

    Conservative, my foot.

  • sbjanet - a true conservative - 15 years ago

    I think the number that the biased media is reporting is $1 (one) hundred and fifty thousand. Just a typical exageration of the left. They can't seem to speak or report the truth.
    Sarah Palin didn't buy the clothes and if she did, so what? Ask Hussein's wife and Hussein what they spend on clothes.

  • Ken Houghton - 15 years ago

    So you're telling us that 65% of the poll respondents don't know that the governing system of the United States is that of a Democratic Republic?

    Maybe Sarah Palin really is a typical American, even if she is dressed up in $750,000 of Needless Markup clothing.

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