America is not a Democracy

[ck4829]

Democracy - (Greek) Demos - People, Kratein - Rule. It means "Rule by the People".

When people don't vote, don't conduct any research into candidates, or are told to vote by people (Such as the 'christian' Right), let's just say it can get kind of nasty.

Rule by the People does not mean that people can sit around and do nothing, save for Election Day (And that isn't even everybody).

OK! America isn't a Democracy.

Here are some alternatives, you may not like them, but America is becoming one these whether you like it or not.

Plutocracy - Rule by the Rich
Kakistocracy - Rule by the Incompetent
Hierocracy - Subdivision of Theocracy, rule by religious people and groups
Pornocracy - Rule by the Prostitutes. In a more metaphorical sense, it means rule by Lobbyists and "Pay to Play" Politicians

What will America become?

Is it too late to allow America to become a Democracy again?

[mrcheerful]

1. Not until the other side

stops saying its a republic and not a democracy. In fact america is both, a fact that some seem to over look.

[mattclearing]

2. Actually America IS a republic.

The founding fathers specifically avoided putting too much power in the direct hands of the people, fearing the tyranny of majority rule.

[mrcheerful]

4. What the founding fathers intent was

was to create a system that gave neither the rulers or the ruled absolute control over each other. Thats why theres checks and balances in place, we the people have our responsibilities and the elected officials have theirs. They took what they considered the best of both and put it in place.

[acmejack]

5. An Oligarchical Republic at that.

Rule by the monied elite. Their own top tier private schools, why even the Presidential candidates last time belonged to the same small fraternity. Political dynasties, Bush, Kennedy, on & on. It is time to replace our failed system with a representative form of government, which allows us to escape the illusion of this "two party" system, which is a bad joke.

[mattclearing]

7. Granted, I don't know that the two party system is what they envisioned.nt

[tx_dem41]

21. The fact that they immediately split into two parties...

would make you think that it might have been.

[mattclearing]

24. I wouldn't say immediately.

It came naturally as people took opposite views of federal power.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

11. So Bill Clinton was part of the "monied elite?"

What about Jimmy Carter?

What about Nixon?

[acmejack]

16. You're right!

"Nixon later hired Coopers & Lybrand to audit his finances. The firm concluded that a capital gain of $117,370 should have been reported on Nixon's 1970 return. Coopers & Lybrand's audit also revealed that Nixon's net worth was $988,522.

Clinton's returns reveal they were only pulled down $560000 in 1999.

Couldn't find Carter, but I'm sure that acreage in Plains is worthless, I'm confident you agree.

You can't sit there and tell me these people are in the same economic tier as 90+% of this Country.

http://www.taxhistory.org/thp/thpwebsite.nsf/Web/PresidentialTaxReturns?OpenDocument

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

22. Please.

Nixon, Clinton, and Carter - none of them started out rich. There's absolutely a difference between them and blue-blood old-money families like the Bushes.

[acmejack]

23. I already said you're right

Shall I grovel?

[raccoon]

20. Absolutely. nt

[wtbymark]

3. you got it right ck

"Plutocracy - Rule by the Rich
Kakistocracy - Rule by the Incompetent
Hierocracy - Subdivision of Theocracy, rule by religious people and groups
Pornocracy - Rule by the Prostitutes. In a more metaphorical sense, it means rule by Lobbyists and "Pay to Play" Politicians"

ALL OF THE ABOVE - which lead to much harsher systems such as fascism, totalitarianism and dictatorships

[Loonman]

6. A Representative Republic

Supported by a Constitution, not a Constitutional Republic as some ignorant folks might tell you.

[Squatch]

15. In theory, yes...

How long has it been since our representatives actually represented the people and not special interests?

[0007]

The people are not the government anymore than the Easter

Bunny. . . By the people, for the people, of the people are no better than colored eggs.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. American "democracy" is a pleasant myth. It's an oligarchy.

The Golden Rule. "Those who have the gold, rule."

[LiberalEsto]

9. Corporacracy - rule by corporations

Would corporacracy be the right word?
Because the corporations own our asses.

[Loonman]

10. Better than Authoritarian Communism

Where the State owns everything and the State is the ruler.

[ck4829]

12. It's all pretty much the same when you get Authoritarian

Whether it's Authoritarian Communism, Authoritarian Theocracy, Authoritarian Plutocracy, etc., it should be something that all sane people (regardless of political ideology) should oppose.

[baldguy]

13. America under Bush is a kleptocracy

Steal from the poor & give to the über-wealthy.

[tx_dem41]

14. Sheesh....it never has been a "Democracy". Its always been a....

Representative Republic.

[acmejack]

17. The point is that whatever form it is, it is broken

Why quibble over the fine points, whatever it is-it doesn't work for the majority of the people!

[tx_dem41]

19. It isn't a small point at all.

In fact the distinction speaks directly to the issue brought up by the OP.

[July]

18. I would say both a republic and a democracy.

Our form of democracy is not direct democracy, however, but indirect through elected representatives.

And this country's leadership, both Democratic and Republican, talks frequently about our "democratic ideals," not to mention the need to bring "democracy" to other countries.

A republic is not always democratic, but it may be.

[dogday]

25. That depends on her people

are they willing to stand for a Democracy based on the constitution? Only by the people can it work and the people may have to work for it again as they did over 200 years ago....