Is the United States a Democracy or a Republic?

[Irish Girl]

Being that this administration is 'spreading democracy' throughout the world -- and being that I hear people refer to the United States as a democracy all the time, I'd thought to ask if this is accurate? Are we a democratic republic? What's the difference? Interested in your opinions.

:patriot:

[ulysses]

1. republic = representative democracy

[Kittycat]

5. You stole my post.

I concur.

[ulysses]

7. got to be second nature to pull that out when I worked with conservatives.

:)

[annabanana]

2. a Republic (de jure)

an oligarchy (de facto)

[suston96]

3. A republic - if we can keep it.....So sayeth Benjamin Franklin when asked in 1787.

[GrantDem]

4. A Democratic Republic

[lurky]

6. They are not mutually exclusive.

A republic just means we do not have a king. We are also a representative democracy, as the last big election shows.

China is a republic, but not a democracy. The U.K. is a democracy, but not a republic. The USA is both, on paper anyway.

[Junkdrawer]

20. Correct. And it's sad that there are so few accurate posts so far on this thread....

So many people spewing definitive nonsense...

[lurky]

23. "Definitive Nonsense"!

:rofl:
What a great expression... Thanks for that.

[NashVegas]

8. It's a Republic If You're a Republican

And you're arguing in favor of a Republican president ignoring congress and making arbitrary decisions & signing statements.

[foxfeet]

9. But you're secretly thinking:

Apres moi, le deluge.

Or you should be.

[NashVegas]

12. Kinda Looks Like They Were

In retrospect.

[Irish Girl]

14. I'm not sure I understand, Crisco

I was under the impression that a Republic (government) is not the same as a Republican (party affiliation, aka Freeper). But please correct me if I'm wrong.

[NashVegas]

15. I'm Saying That

Starting around 2002, "The USA is a Republic, not a Democracy," became a propaganda push for people who wished to give George W. Bush a blank check.

People ought not to allow themselves to get themselves drawn into that debate again.

[Mojambo]

10. Constitutionally limited, representative democratic republic. n/t

[Swamp Rat]

11. Neither

[Irish Girl]

13. LOL Swamp Rat

B-)

[doc03]

16. I would say we boarder on Fascism today with

a few huge corporations practically dictating policy to our govenment.

[Deja Q]

17. Republic - but if constitutional rights are being eroded, that makes for a moot argument.

:shrug:

[notesdev]

18. In theory? Or in practice?

In theory... a republic.

In practice... a fascist state.

[Bucky]

19. Well, both actually. A republic is our form of government. Like Libya or the USSR.

But the fact that we try to be democratic about it is kind of a big deal.

[MiniMe]

21. It is a democratic Republic

[PVnRT]

22. Everyone knows that everything is run by five Jew bankers

They orbit the Earth in their Death Star of David.

[leftofthedial]

24. neither one at present

it is a corporatocracy, or maybe an oligarchy

[Scout]

25. A Democratic Republic n/t