Reply #22: Here's a link you may finding interesting

[Mel]

it's from Steve Kangas, it sure helps me out when I hear that right-wing yap. Most of them know better than to even try that crap on me it doesn't work!
I do think that yapping point came from the right wing hate head radio. What do you think? It sounds like something Rusholin would put out for his ditto head brown shirts to spew.

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-democracy.htm
Myth: The U.S. is not a democracy.

Fact: The U.S. is a representative democracy in every branch of government.
Summary

The U.S. is a democracy -- just not a direct one. Every branch of our government -- executive, legislative, judicial, monetary -- ultimately derives its power from majority rule or approval. By making our democracy indirect instead of direct, the Founders prevented unrestrained mob rule, allowing a more reasonable pace of majority rule, and greater room for compromise.



Argument

Conservatives continually point out that America is not a democracy, but a constitutional republic. This is a quibble over definitions, because a constitutional republic is a type of democracy. Democracy comes in two forms: direct and republican. In a direct democracy, the people vote directly on proposed laws, and government (to the extent that it exists) serves only to put their laws into action. By contrast, a republic is a representative democracy, where laws are passed not by the people, but their elected representatives. Adding the term "constitutional" to the word "republic" is frivolous, since all nations have constitutions.

Why, then, do conservatives insist on this distinction? There are two reasons, both of them trivial. One is to embarrass those who make casual use of the term "democracy." Another is that conservatives are so hostile to democracy that they seek to deny its very name.</snip>