Wrong answer.
No, I didn't read the article, only the headline.
How does it matter which one people call it? Does it change the nature of our form of government?
Actions matter.... words are cheap.
Patriots, get it straight.
LEARN YOUR Constitution AS WRITTEN AND ORIGINALLY UNDERSTOOD AND INTENDED.
It’s an Administrative State.
It’s a republic. Just because liberals apply other definitions to democracy than what it actually means doesn’t change anything.
Those who insist we’re not a republic went ahead and slipped the 17th amendment into our perfect original constitution. This must be changed back.
Its a representative republic.
The pledge of allegiance doesn’t say “ and to the democracy, for which it stands...”
I think I read this article years ago. It doesn't 'depend.' We ARE democratic, but we are NOT a democracy, we are a constitutional republic ... which happens to be democrat-IC.
And quite frankly, the 'constitutional' adjective takes precedence over the 'democratic' adjective.
But since I'm sure this opinion was produced by a so called journalist or so called academic, it tries to make the argument that ... 'well ... it depends.' It doesn't.
(sorry didn't read the article again, lazy of me but I think I remember it and that doesn't change what's above, which I'm sure could be adjusted by someone here who is truly fully educated on this, whereas I am just a relatively thorough hack.)
I will defer to Benjamin Franklin on this.
“The deliberations of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were held in strict secrecy. Consequently, anxious citizens gathered outside Independence Hall when the proceedings ended in order to learn what had been produced behind closed doors. The answer was provided immediately. A Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, “A republic, if you can keep it.”
This exchange was recorded by Constitution signer James McHenry in a diary entry that was later reproduced in the 1906 American Historical Review. Yet in more recent years, Franklin has occassionally been misquoted as having said, “A democracy, if you can keep it.” The NRA’s Charleton Heston quoted Franklin this way, for example, in a CBS 60 Minutes interview with Mike Wallace that was aired on December 20, 1998.
This misquote is a serious one, since the difference between a democracy and a republic is not merely a question of semantics but is fundamental. The word “republic” comes from the Latin res publica — which means simply “the public thing(s),” or more simply “the law(s).” “Democracy,” on the other hand, is derived from the Greek words demos and kratein, which translates to “the people to rule.” Democracy, therefore, has always been synonymous with majority rule.
Also:
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
Semper Fi!
“....and to the democracy for which it stands...” Nah. Doesn’t work for me. Of course, like a lot of FReepers, we learned the pledge before the “..under God...” was added to it.
It was a a republic up until the end of Mr. Lincoln’s War.
It’s a faux republic run by an un-elected unaccountable administrative bureaucracy. Let’s quit kidding ourselves.
Question answered.
A sophisticated CRIMINAL STATE masquerading as a free republic.
Just look at the recent MOST EVIL administration in our history. Obama, Obama, Biden, Clinton, Clinton, Holder, Lerner, Kerry. Lynch, etc., etc.,...not counting the propagandists, the indoctrinators, the robed mullahs and other ancillary liars/criminals Gruber, etc., etc..
As usual, it’s the wrong question.
“Democracy” is a very general term. We are a republic with democratic principals.
Pre- or post- 17th Amendment?
If the mudsucking, cannot wipe their own butts fools get anymore in the general population, we will become a mob ruled democracy, where if you do not live in NYC or L.A., you will have no voice!!