Has anyone else here ever experienced this from a right-winger?

[Ohioboy]

Ever get a right- winger that thinks they're so smart when they point out the U.S is a republic?

It usually comes up when a Democrat or liberal says something about "our democracy". I hear callers to my local radio station complaining that "libtards" don't know we are under a republic.

If you ever want to stop one of these geniuses in their tracks, see what happens when you inform them that China and North Korea are also republics. And, just for fun I like to throw in the fact that the "R" in U.S.S.R stood for republic also. See the expression on their face go blank.

This has happened to me several times, and so far I have found not one of them that are aware of this fact. It seems to be something they parrot without giving thought to.

If you're lucky you might be able to to explain to them how "democracy" fits in here in America where it doesn't in those other republics. That is if you can get them to listen instead of just blurting out their talking points. Good luck out there.

[dawg day]

1. It's one of those "I'm smart" stupid things.

Along the lines of, "Hey, hot dogs aren't hot. AND THEY AREN'T DOGS!"

What is it that they think a republic is that means something important that we don't get? We get that we elect officials who then determine the laws and enact them. We get that. So?

I get the idea they all slept through government class, like Trump. "And, ha ha, Lincoln was a Republican. Betcha didn't know THAT!"

Oh, now I get it. "the US is a republic" in their minds means Republicans have to rule then? It's not a democracy in their understanding so Democrats have to go die?

[Ohioboy]

6. They use it as a "gotcha" for some reason

They don't seem to know that democracy plays a big part in republics that work well. They seem too willing to throw out the democracy part and just go with republic, as is the case in the bad republics of the world.

[rsdsharp]

16. Yeah! We pledge allegiance to "the Republic

for which it stands. It doesn’t say Democrat. Nuff said!

[Aristus]

18. Has anybody seen the pic of that guy?

His hilariously misspelled sign is cover for a pretty sad truth that the poor guy just isn't very bright, repeats the things he hears after sifting out the things he doesn't like. And his life is probably sad and unfulfilled because he doesn't have enough human intelligence to be able to think through the problems in his life. He is probably, as Stephen King so aptly put it: "A person for whom life is nothing more than a moment-by-moment flow of sensory input."

[unc70]

2. Even better, North Korea

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

[rsdsharp]

15. Or East Germany.

Last edited Fri Jun 26, 2020, 11:24 PM - Edit history (1)

The German Democratic Republic.

I like to bring both of those up when some yahoo tells me the Nazis were socialists: “It’s right there in the name. National SOCIALISM!”

Either that or ask for a 5000 word essay on the Night of the Long Knives, and it’s affect on the socialist wing of the party.

[Ohioboy]

22. Yea, not knowing the difference between National Socialism and Socialism is another one

As you indicate, many of Hitler's first victims were Socialists.

[VOX]

21. Remember Saddam's "Elite Republican Guard"?

I expect they all voted for GWB in 2004.

[safeinOhio]

3. Yes and he even agreed with my answer.

He made that statement that this is a Republic and not a Democracy.
I replied.
There are only two types of Republics, 1, is a Democratic Republic as we have and 2, a Banana Republic.

He looked down and said I was correct.

[A HERETIC I AM]

4. I've often seen that used when the question of the Electoral College is mentioned....

Or minority rule is discussed.

As if that is a real defense. Not sure where it came from, but I have an idea. Ask one of these types why in the Senate, 40% of the people have 60% of the votes and that is often the answer.

“Because we’re a Republic”.

Yeah, right up to the point where things stop going your way.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

5. I don't engage with right-wingers at all. I don't have any friends or relatives

any more who are overtly RW, so I haven't had the "pleasure" of trying to argue with people who are so hopelessly stupid.

Should the issue ever come up, though, I'd just point out that "republic" is a government structure and "democracy" is a philosophy of government by the citizens. Those things are not mutually exclusive. Britain, Denmark, Sweden and Norway are monarchies instead of republics, but they are also democracies.

[Ohioboy]

8. Your answers, if it ever comes up, would be good.

[Cirque du So-What]

7. I point out that the full description is democratic republic

Shit-fer-brains.

[Ohioboy]

9. Yes, good point

Quick easy and accurate.

[coti]

10. For them, it goes to the parties- "Democrats" and "Republicans"

They can't stand that Dems have an homophonal connection to the word "democracy." So they attack the word "democracy."

Yes, their hangup is just that fucking stupid.

[Happy Hoosier]

11. I always ask...

What they think Republic is, and why they think a republic cannot be democratic.

[blm]

12. Yes, a republic and founders chose democracy to make it FUNCTIONABLE.

Saying a chassis is a car ain’t gonna get you anywhere.

[Ohioboy]

13. Good one

[blm]

14. Yep. That always shuts the dumbasses up really fast.

[Aristus]

17. I tell them we're a democratic republic.

They do that because they want to believe there's some relevance in the name of their party. The truth is, the name of neither party has any intrinsic meaning. They just have names because political parties need names.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

19. It's the ultimate irony, that name Republican...

while at their core they want a plutocracy.

And when they hold the presidency, they want a federal autocracy.

I think we're supposed to be a democratic federal republic.

[hunter]

20. The U.S.A. has always been the Top Banana of the Banana Republics.

We're Number One!