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Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)

9. I don't really think that the opinions of people who've been dead two centuries...

Sat Jan 24, 2015, 09:35 AM

Jan 2015

are very relevant. Especially not when the franchise at the time was restricted to white male property owners. And:

democracy
Line breaks: dem|oc¦racy
Pronunciation: /dɪˈmɒkrəsi

/
Definition of democracy in English:
noun (plural democracies)
[mass noun]
1A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives: a system of parliamentary democracy
More example sentences Synonyms
1.1 [count noun] A state governed under a system of democracy: a multiparty democracy

Dictionaries provide the definition of words as they are commonly used and understood. They are descriptive, not prescriptive. As the word "democracy" is commonly used and understood, the USA is a representative democracy. I am sorry if you have trouble with that concept.

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US Is a World Leader in Dysfunctional Democracy [View all] xchrom Jan 2015 OP

My biggest frustration? Erich Bloodaxe BSN Jan 2015 #1

It would be funny AngryDem001 Jan 2015 #2

"Democracy" sounds so great, and, so well, democratic, but the US is a republic. merrily Jan 2015 #3

The US is a representative democracy. Spider Jerusalem Jan 2015 #5

The US is a republic. merrily Jan 2015 #6

"but the USA is a republic, not a democracy"... Spider Jerusalem Jan 2015 #7

Then the Framers were ignorant right wingers. So are people who compile dictionaries. merrily Jan 2015 #8

I don't really think that the opinions of people who've been dead two centuries... Spider Jerusalem Jan 2015 #9

The goal of the Framers when they wrote the Constitution is irrelevant to what kind of nation merrily Jan 2015 #10

Yep, it's irrelevant, because it's not 1789 anymore. Spider Jerusalem Jan 2015 #11

The Constitution still sets up a republic. That has not changed. You are conflating merrily Jan 2015 #12

... Spider Jerusalem Jan 2015 #13

Now look up definitions of "republic," like the one I posted above, and tell me merrily Jan 2015 #14

They differ because a representative democracy need not be a republic. Spider Jerusalem Jan 2015 #17

Ours is a republic, though. And the definition of republic I posted upthread says President, merrily Jan 2015 #18

A republic is still a democracy; I'm not sure why you have trouble understanding that. Spider Jerusalem Jan 2015 #19

I am not having trouble understanding anything. A republic is a republic. I stated merrily Jan 2015 #20

You pretty clearly are: Spider Jerusalem Jan 2015 #21

Bookmarked libodem Jan 2015 #4

Mauritius is in the Indian Ocean, just saying. nt bemildred Jan 2015 #15

k/r marmar Jan 2015 #16

kick woo me with science Feb 2015 #22

kick woo me with science Feb 2015 #23