Showing posts with label Democratic Republic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Democratic Republic. Show all posts

Friday, January 21

Democraticc Republic


Is the United States a democracy?

Yes, the United States is a democracy, since we, the people, hold the ultimate political power. We’re not a “direct democracy,” but we are a “representative democracy.”

This is where our history education might add some confusion. We are commonly taught that democracy is a product of ancient Greece. It’s their word – demokratia – after all. The city-state of Athens is credited with implementing a system of government of and by the people, whereby eligible citizens would congregate to make decisions. They’d make these decisions themselves (or “directly”), not through any elected representatives.

That system of government, better understood today as direct democracy, lives on in the United States in the form of ballot initiatives and referenda. Some states and localities afford their citizens the right to use these measures to directly enact, change, or repeal laws themselves.

More commonly, we exercise our political power in a different way: by voting in elections to choose our representatives. That’s representative democracy.

The Constitution does not use the term “democracy.” It’s true. But as Eugene Volokh notes in the Washington Post, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Noah Webster, Justice James Wilson and Chief Justice John Marshall all used the word. These scholars understood representative democracy – the American variety – to be democracy all the same.

Is the United States a republic?
Yes. The United States is a republic because our elected representatives exercise political power.

History also tells us that Rome was a republic, unlike Athens. When its monarchy was overthrown, Rome developed a republican system of government whereby citizens elected officials who were empowered to make decisions for the public. That’s the core of how our government works. While “democracy” and “republic” have been historically pitted against one another, the reality is that the two terms enjoy considerable overlap.

So, which term should I use?
It’s really up to you. In practice, the word “republic” has the same meaning as the term “representative democracy.” And a representative democracy is a form of democracy in the same way that a Granny Smith apple is a form of apple. We wouldn’t say it’s inaccurate to use “apple” to describe a Granny Smith apple, so it’s OK to follow in the footsteps of Jefferson, Adams, Webster, and Chief Justice Marshall and simply call our “representative democracy” a “democracy.”

But it’s also accurate to call the United States a “republic.” It’s mostly about your preference of words. Hopefully, this post will help lower the heat in the online debate. Let’s put our energy toward working to fix our government so it represents the people!

What type of government is the US, exactly?
To be very specific, the United States could be defined as a “federal constitutional representative democracy.” You might also call it a “federal constitutional republic.” Let’s break those terms down.

Constitutional: Our system of government is considered constitutional, because the power exercised by the people and their representatives is bound by the constitution and the broader rule of law.

Federal: Our government is also a federal system, since power is shared between a national government, representing the entire populace, and regional and local governments.

These two terms can come in handy when you want to get really exact with your description. It’s accurate to call our government a “federal constitutional republic” or a “federal constitutional democracy,” but it’s probably overkill to be that specific. These terms just help us further define our governmental structure, especially when comparing the United States to other countries.

Is the United States still a democracy/republic?
In the literal sense of the word, yes. In practice, the answer is more complicated. In 2016, The Economist Intelligence Unit downgraded the United States from a “full democracy” to a “flawed democracy” in its Democracy Report, an annual study of the “state of democracy” around the world.

There were a number of reasons the nation’s rating fell, but one of the most important was the American public’s declining trust in government. Our system of government depends on citizens being able to freely elect leaders who will represent their interests. Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. In a study published 2014, two political scientists found that, on average, the policies representatives pursue are not in fact dictated by public opinion. This is the mark of a flawed democracy/republic: election without true representation.
So, is the United States a democracy or a republic?

The United States is both a democracy and a republic.

PROVIDE BY REPRESENT US

Monday, June 8

America's Democracy

A Democracy is a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.  It can also be seen as  control of an organization or country by the majority of its members.

A democratic republic is a form of government operating on principles adopted from a republic and a democracy. Rather than being a cross between two entirely separate systems, democratic republics may function on principles shared by both republics and democracies.

In other words:  the general public gives power to ELECTED OFFICIALS to operate on their behalf...  and, the general public elects a President rather than a MONARCH.

In the Electoral College system, each state gets a certain number of electors based on its total number of representatives in Congress. Each elector gets one electoral vote following the general election. There are a total of 538 electoral votes and the candidate who get more than half or 270 wins the election.

Originally, the Electoral College provided the Constitutional Convention with a compromise between the popular election of the President and congressional selection. ... The 12th Amendment—ratified in 1804—changed the original process, allowing for separate ballots for determining the President and Vice President.

Since President Trump DID NOT WIN the POPULAR VOTE but WON THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTE.... DEMOCRATS DO NOT BELIEVE that he is the LEGITIMATE President of the United States... and, this belief has resulted in the MAINSTREAM MEDIA being against him with everything he does or does not do...

DEMOCRATS do not recognize the CONSTITUTIONALITY of his Presidency... even though he was CONSTITUTIONALLY elected...

PRETTY MUCH, our country is DIVIDED 50/50 because of the 2016 Presidential Election and will continue to be DIVIDED should Trump get re-elected in 2020...

DO WE RESTORE THE DIVISION BY REMOVING TRUMP IN 2020?

What will happen if we do remove Trump to restore the balance?

1. Government Regulations will return to businesses
2. Business will restrict their operations
3. Taxes will increase
4. Funding of our military will decrease
5. Healthcare for all
6. Free education for all
7. Prices will increase (maybe inflation)
8. Stock market will not grow as rapidly
9. Unemployment (after COVID) will gradually increase
10. Congress will again accomplish nothing
11. Terrorism will increase globally
12. China will grow their economy and military
13. North Korea will acquire nuclear weapons
14. Russia will expand their territory
15. Trade Deals will start to deteriorate
16. America's Wealthy will hide their money from taxes
17. College Degrees will be a dime-a-dozen
18. Law Enforcement Personnel will SHRINK
19. Illegal Drug Traffic in USA will increase
20. Illegal Immigration will increase