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Not sure what you’re implying with your statement about the Republican talking point. The point of the point is the U.S. was designed to be a Constitutional Rep

Not sure what you’re implying with your statement about the Republican talking point. The point of the point is the U.S. was designed to be a Constitutional Republic which isn’t a democracy. The Constitutional Republic is designed to protect the rights and freedoms of the individual via the Constitution and bill of rights. If by Democracy one is referring solely to majority rule, then protection against individual rights and freedom are lost. The U.S. should fear the latter, not the former.

siidooloo 8y ago
The United Stares is a constitutional republic and a representative democracy. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and a representative democracy. Democracy is not the opposite of a republic. Monarchy is.
- 0x445442 8y ago
  True as long as the representative democracy doesn’t infringe on the individual’s constitutional rights. That’s where the democracy bit gives way to the judicial branch. Of coarse with a politicized court you’re right back to the ills of a democracy.
  - siidooloo 8y ago
    What you’re saying is still true in a constitutional monarchy. Being a republic or democracy doesn’t matter. Its the constitutional part that’s important.
    - hannasanarion 8y ago
      Republic and Democracy are not exclusive. There is no such thing as "being republic or democracy". It's really simple: Monarchy: yes king Republic: no king Democracy: yes votes Autocracy: no votes Constitutional: yes constitution Absolute: no constitution You can have these in any combination.
- someguydave 8y ago
  Monarchy is a democracy with one voter.
hannasanarion 8y ago
This is exactly the talking point I mean. It uses weasel words to trick people into believing that democracy is bad. Saying "the US isn't a democracy, it's a constitutional republic", is like saying "Garfield isn't a cat, he's a cartoon and a vertebrate". None of these things are mutually exclusive. Democracy: government where political power ultimately comes from the popular vote. The opposite of democracy is autocracy. Republic: government where the state belongs to the people and is run for their benefit. The opposite of republic is monarchy. Constitutional: government with ground rules for how the levers of power work that nobody is allowed to break. The opposite of constitutional government is absolute government. You can have government on any of these axes. Being a constitutional republic doesn't preclude being a democracy. Contrast the United States and North Korea. Both are constitutional republics (fundamental law, no monarch), but one is democratic (all votes matter), and the other is autocratic (only one vote matters). Democracy does NOT mean "absolute rule by a mere majority". Republicans lie and weasel to try to get people to think this so that they can say that democracy is bad and we should accept minority rule instead (aka, autocracy)

siidooloo 8y ago

The United Stares is a constitutional republic and a representative democracy. The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy and a representative democracy. Democracy is not the opposite of a republic. Monarchy is.

0x445442 8y ago
True as long as the representative democracy doesn’t infringe on the individual’s constitutional rights. That’s where the democracy bit gives way to the judicial branch. Of coarse with a politicized court you’re right back to the ills of a democracy.
- siidooloo 8y ago
  What you’re saying is still true in a constitutional monarchy. Being a republic or democracy doesn’t matter. Its the constitutional part that’s important.
  - hannasanarion 8y ago
    Republic and Democracy are not exclusive. There is no such thing as "being republic or democracy". It's really simple: Monarchy: yes king Republic: no king Democracy: yes votes Autocracy: no votes Constitutional: yes constitution Absolute: no constitution You can have these in any combination.
someguydave 8y ago
Monarchy is a democracy with one voter.

hannasanarion 8y ago

This is exactly the talking point I mean. It uses weasel words to trick people into believing that democracy is bad. Saying "the US isn't a democracy, it's a constitutional republic", is like saying "Garfield isn't a cat, he's a cartoon and a vertebrate". None of these things are mutually exclusive. Democracy: government where political power ultimately comes from the popular vote. The opposite of democracy is autocracy. Republic: government where the state belongs to the people and is run for their benefit. The opposite of republic is monarchy. Constitutional: government with ground rules for how the levers of power work that nobody is allowed to break. The opposite of constitutional government is absolute government. You can have government on any of these axes. Being a constitutional republic doesn't preclude being a democracy. Contrast the United States and North Korea. Both are constitutional republics (fundamental law, no monarch), but one is democratic (all votes matter), and the other is autocratic (only one vote matters). Democracy does NOT mean "absolute rule by a mere majority". Republicans lie and weasel to try to get people to think this so that they can say that democracy is bad and we should accept minority rule instead (aka, autocracy)