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To this day, many mistakenly refer to America as a democracy. America is a Constitutional Republic. Yes, we do elect our representatives in this Republic through a democratic process of elections. But, what is a Republic?
The Relevance of Mrs. Powell’s Question
Posted from allenwest.substack.comPosted in these groups: 
Constitution
American History
Constitution American History
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
I believe the issue is that one word, 'Democracy', is used at different levels, but the meaning at that level changes.
For example, there are four main FORMS of a government - Democracy, Oligarchy, Autocracy, or Anarchy which in order related to rule by many, some, one or none. In this sense, SFC Casey O'Mally is correct in his statement that Democracy is an umbrella term incorporating all political systems which 'rule by many' are implemented.
Within the Democracy FORM of government, two of the many different political systems are Democracies and Republics, with the key difference being that Republics limit the powers of the government by law/charter/constitution. In this case, since the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, the United States is a Republic.
If you are discussing the overarching main forms of government, then the United States is a Democracy. If you're discussing the implementation of our Democratic political system, the United States is a Republic.
Of course, that's just what I dredged from my Political Science classes from many years ago when we had these arguments back then.
The other main idea I took from that is if you ask 10 different political science 'experts', you could get 10 different variations on an answer, all of which add up to "distinctions without a difference".
For example, there are four main FORMS of a government - Democracy, Oligarchy, Autocracy, or Anarchy which in order related to rule by many, some, one or none. In this sense, SFC Casey O'Mally is correct in his statement that Democracy is an umbrella term incorporating all political systems which 'rule by many' are implemented.
Within the Democracy FORM of government, two of the many different political systems are Democracies and Republics, with the key difference being that Republics limit the powers of the government by law/charter/constitution. In this case, since the Constitution is the supreme law of the land, the United States is a Republic.
If you are discussing the overarching main forms of government, then the United States is a Democracy. If you're discussing the implementation of our Democratic political system, the United States is a Republic.
Of course, that's just what I dredged from my Political Science classes from many years ago when we had these arguments back then.
The other main idea I took from that is if you ask 10 different political science 'experts', you could get 10 different variations on an answer, all of which add up to "distinctions without a difference".
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PO1 Kevin Dougherty
Words matter, and to say we are a Democracy can lead to misconceptions and abuse. Our founders were very emphatic in their determination that we not be a democracy because of their distrust of the outcome. The French revolution proved them correct.
Frankly I couldn't care less what political science "experts" say or think. It's fine for academics to argue and strain at gnats, but my observation is that ivory tower theories and concepts rarely translate to real world reality. I also question the wisdom of those who apparently can't or won't grasp what the people who wrote the documents intended.
Frankly I couldn't care less what political science "experts" say or think. It's fine for academics to argue and strain at gnats, but my observation is that ivory tower theories and concepts rarely translate to real world reality. I also question the wisdom of those who apparently can't or won't grasp what the people who wrote the documents intended.
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COL Randall C.
The issue is that you are correct and incorrect at the same time if you say "we are not a Democracy". Because you're not specifying what you're talking about (Did you mean form of government or did you mean political system?)
We absolutely are a Democracy if you are referring to our form of government. However, we are a Constitutional Republic if you are referring to our political system.
As you said, words matter.
We absolutely are a Democracy if you are referring to our form of government. However, we are a Constitutional Republic if you are referring to our political system.
As you said, words matter.
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We are a democracy. Democracy is a large umbrella term, under which Constitutional republic falls.
We have democratically elected leaders. We are thus a democracy.
A square is a special type of rectangle. But it is still a rectangle. Saying, "no, that is not a rectangle; it is a *square*" is just not accurate. Neither is saying America is not a democracy.
We have democratically elected leaders. We are thus a democracy.
A square is a special type of rectangle. But it is still a rectangle. Saying, "no, that is not a rectangle; it is a *square*" is just not accurate. Neither is saying America is not a democracy.
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PO1 Kevin Dougherty
Words matter, and to say we are a Democracy can lead to misconceptions and abuse. Our founders were very emphatic in their determination that we not be a democracy because of their distrust of the outcome. The French revolution proved them correct.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
PO1 Kevin Dougherty And the constant mantra from some that we are not a democracy can equally lead to misconceptions and abuse. After all, if we are not a democracy, what right do us peons have to have our voices heard?
Democracy means rule by the people. If we, the people, are NOT the authorities, then our voices do not matter. And the ruling class can donwith us as they please.
In all honesty, America is becoming NOT a democracy and more of an oligarchy. And continuing insistence we are not a democracy is only helping that evolution.
Democracy means rule by the people. If we, the people, are NOT the authorities, then our voices do not matter. And the ruling class can donwith us as they please.
In all honesty, America is becoming NOT a democracy and more of an oligarchy. And continuing insistence we are not a democracy is only helping that evolution.
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PO1 Kevin Dougherty
SFC Casey O'Mally - According to Webster's: Federalism: the distribution of power in an organization (such as a government) between a central authority and the constituent units. (In our case, that would be the states). Republic: a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law.
As you observed, democracy is rule by the people, as defined above. Pure democracy is. by definition, direct rule. In a republic, the body of citizens retains ultimate power which in turn is exercised by elected officials. The most correct definition of our form of government is a Federal Republic. That is to say we are a federation of states with a republican form of government.
Importantly, delegated power flows from the people, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union...", through the States to the Federal. Amendments IX and X make this very clear:
"Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
It is also worth noting that, as conceived, the Senate was to have been the direct representatives of the States, while the House was to be the direct representatives of the people. of course the 17th Amendment screwed that up. It is also worth noting that it was intended that the Legislative branch would be the most powerful. Unfortunately, Congress has relegated much if it's responsibilities to the executive by creating unelected bureaucracies in the guise of regulatory agencies answerable only to the executive. Many have fulfilled their purpose but continue on. As Reagan so aptly observed in his "A Time for Choosing" speech in 1964, "No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. So governments' programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth."
I tried a while back to determine the actual size of the federal government. It appears that there are somewhere between 2.8 and 3 million employees, depending on who's doing the counting, not counting the USPS. However if you add in contractors doing outsourced work, that appears to be somewhere between 10 and 20 million. Given the wide variations in statistics I tend to think that, like the number of regulations, no one really knows the true number.
As you observed, democracy is rule by the people, as defined above. Pure democracy is. by definition, direct rule. In a republic, the body of citizens retains ultimate power which in turn is exercised by elected officials. The most correct definition of our form of government is a Federal Republic. That is to say we are a federation of states with a republican form of government.
Importantly, delegated power flows from the people, "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union...", through the States to the Federal. Amendments IX and X make this very clear:
"Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
It is also worth noting that, as conceived, the Senate was to have been the direct representatives of the States, while the House was to be the direct representatives of the people. of course the 17th Amendment screwed that up. It is also worth noting that it was intended that the Legislative branch would be the most powerful. Unfortunately, Congress has relegated much if it's responsibilities to the executive by creating unelected bureaucracies in the guise of regulatory agencies answerable only to the executive. Many have fulfilled their purpose but continue on. As Reagan so aptly observed in his "A Time for Choosing" speech in 1964, "No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. So governments' programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth."
I tried a while back to determine the actual size of the federal government. It appears that there are somewhere between 2.8 and 3 million employees, depending on who's doing the counting, not counting the USPS. However if you add in contractors doing outsourced work, that appears to be somewhere between 10 and 20 million. Given the wide variations in statistics I tend to think that, like the number of regulations, no one really knows the true number.
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