Thread: Is the US a democracy? If so, when did it become one?

  1. #1
    lil_punjabi
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    Is the US a democracy? If so, when did it become one?

    "THE PILLARS OF DEMOCRACY


    Sovereignty of the people.

    Government based upon consent of the governed.

    Majority rule.

    Minority rights.

    Guarantee of basic human rights.

    Free and fair elections.

    Equality before the law.

    Due process of law.

    Constitutional limits on government.

    Social, economic, and political pluralism.

    Values of tolerance, pragmatism, cooperation, and compromise."
    http://usinfo.state.gov/products/pub...em/whatdm2.htm


    I hear many Americans saying that the US were being the first modern democracy of the world. I doubt this.

    What do you think? Do you think the US were being the first modern democracy of the world, or do you even think that the US aren't a democracy today?

  2. #2
    Banal internet user
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    like you said, first modern democracy... but I think we're in a state of tyranarchy right now, I got lost 2 years ago...

  3. #3
    cereal killer dP munky's Avatar
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    the US has never been a democracy, it was never intended to be one, "majority rules" lol
    guns dont kill people, abortion clinics kill people.

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    >the US has never been a democracy, it was never intended to be one, "majority rules" lol

    What? Based on the criteria lil_punjabi stated, we definitely are a democracy. We are technically a representative democracy.

    >first modern democracy
    Well, of course that depends on your definition of modern democracy
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  5. #5
    cereal killer dP munky's Avatar
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    >>we definitely are a democracy

    just for sake of argument, whats stopping the guy you voted to put into the house/senate/white house, whatever, from doing what he wants...just look at the patriot act for goodness sake, i think people would have voted against this, but somehow it passed? how, becuase the senate/house/president, have their own agenda.....even better example....do you honestly think that the president is "listening to the people" about this war????

    a democracy gives power to ALL people, ours does not, all the power lies in a few selected hands
    guns dont kill people, abortion clinics kill people.

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    >a democracy gives power to ALL people
    The power does lie with the people. We have the power to vote people in and out of office. Of course, thats not comparable to the power those in the house/senate have, but just think how difficult it would be to have everyone in America vote on every single agenda.

    It is infeasable to have every person in a country as big as ours have a vote on every subject, thats why we have representatives. Its not perfect, but its the only practical way in a country like ours.

    [edit]
    >just for sake of argument, whats stopping the guy you voted to put into the house/senate/white house, whatever, from doing what he wants...
    Thats why we have Legislative, Exec, Judicial branches. Each branch has power over the others to prevent a person or a groups of people from running amok
    [/edit]

    >do you honestly think that the president is "listening to the people" about this war
    Polls show that more people than not support the war
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  7. #7
    cereal killer dP munky's Avatar
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    i understand that not every person can vote on every topic, thats illocial, but i dont think that we the people are making the decisions. we put people in office and forget about it, and complain when things go wrong

    >>Thats why we have Legislative, Exec, Judicial branches. Each branch has power over the others to prevent a person or a groups of people from running amok

    well like i said, take a look at the patriot act sometime, the peoples best intrests were not in mind when that thing was drawn up, and if the other braches would have used their checks then we wouldnt be worrying about it
    guns dont kill people, abortion clinics kill people.

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    Originally posted by dP munky

    a democracy gives power to ALL people, ours does not, all the power lies in a few selected hands
    And the people have the choice on who those few selected hands are. Do you think it would be absolutely possible to have everyone in the US vote on every thing that needs voting on? Heck, alot of people don't even vote every four years much less multiple times per year/month.
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  9. #9
    Registered User Eigenvalue's Avatar
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    The U.S. is not a democracy, it is a democratic republic.
    "I'm not responsible for what other people think I am able to do." -- Richard Feynman

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    >well like i said, take a look at the patriot act sometime, the peoples best intrests were not in mind when that thing was drawn up, and if the other braches would have used their checks then we wouldnt be worrying about it

    That bill is less of an example how bad bills can be passed, and more of an example of how dangerous it is to make decisions like that in the immediate aftermath of an event like 9-11.
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  11. #11
    cereal killer dP munky's Avatar
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    then what would you have to say about the governments little echelon project?

    ya know the one that lets them monitor all communications that take place on phone, computer, whatever
    guns dont kill people, abortion clinics kill people.

  12. #12
    and the Hat of Clumsiness GanglyLamb's Avatar
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    do you honestly think that the president is "listening to the people" about this war????
    i already mentioned this "quote" in a thread that handled the "war-topic" then i said
    The government can hear the people, but the government cant always listen to the people.

    And theres a big difference between hearing and listening.

    But like said before in this thread we cant just go vote wether we want to see a war in the Gulf or not.

  13. #13
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    Originally posted by Eigenvalue
    The U.S. is not a democracy, it is a democratic republic.
    yes, yes it is.

    If the US were a pure democracy, every single person would be voting on bills...not the way we vote now. everyone would be a delegate and have to go down to city hall, we elect delegates for this purpose.

    plus the current elections are based on plurality and not majority...

  14. #14
    Registered User rick barclay's Avatar
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    Any government is only as good and vituous as the people it
    governs.
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    This is America calling!

  15. #15
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    your all wrong.

    its (State)Federated Republic...
    i know theres a better way to word this, cant think of it now though.

    >If so, when did it become one?

    when the Media and Democratic Party decided to start calling it one.

    >
    then what would you have to say about the governments little echelon project?
    <

    under-utilized.

    >
    ya know the one that lets them monitor all communications that take place on phone, computer, whatever
    <

    there almost enough restrictions to make that capability pretty useless.
    Last edited by no-one; 02-02-2003 at 10:38 PM.
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