Here we go again with the same old 'the US is not a democracy', we are a 'Constitutional Republic. But that’s a false dichotomy. A common definition of “republic” is, to quote the American Heritage Dictionary, “A political order in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who are entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them” — we are that. A common definition of “democracy” is, “Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives” — we are that, too. The United States is not a direct democracy, in the sense of a country in which laws (and other government decisions) are made predominantly by majority vote. Some lawmaking is done this way, on the state and local levels, but it’s only a tiny fraction of all lawmaking. But we are a representative democracy, which is a form of democracy. So yes, the U.S. is a democracy. For anyone that's not familiar with Russia, these are some examples of human rights violations in Russia. According to international human rights organizations and independent domestic media outlets, the following were among the common violations of human rights in Russia: deaths in custody, and the widespread and systematic torture of persons in custody by police, security forces and prison guards; hazing or dedovshchina in the Russian Army; neglect and cruelty in Russian orphanages; and violations of children's rights. According to Amnesty International there was discrimination, racism, and murders of members of ethnic minorities. In the years since 1992 at least 50 journalists have been killed, some in armed conflict situations, but others were the target of contract killings. If you think you can own a gun in Russia, think again, you can't. If you think you can live in Russia is you're LGBTQ, you life is in danger. They will throw you off the roof a 15 story building. Hasn't anyone read about the mistreatment and neglect of children with disabilities in Russia and the horrid conditions of orphanages? Why does anyone wonder why people in the US were adopting Russian babies and why the response of Russia to the Magnitsky Act was to ban Russian adoptions?
If the question is whether or not we have a functional democratic process - the answer is no. That requires a fair and free media and an educated populous (educated in things like civics and the basics of Philosophy) - and we have neither. As far as a constitutional republic goes - we went away from the principles of Republicanism long ago. What we have is an Oligopoly-Bureaucracy Fusion Monster.
Our democracy is functioning as it should and in January it will function according to the Constitution. The checks and balances on his power will come into play once the Democrats begin their investigations. Trump succeeded in one thing, dividing the country as Putin wanted, chaos and disruption. But, he has not succeeded in destroying our democracy.
There is no such thing as a functional democratic process without a fair and free media and educated public - and we have neither. The idea that facebook posts - falsely referred to as "propaganda" - had an impact on our elections is like comparing a raindrop to a hurricane. The real enemy is internal not external.
To be able to understand what a 'fair and free media' actually is, you have to let go of your belief that Trump is a man that has the interest of the United States as priority #1. If you can turn a blind eye to the corruption and greed that has infected his administration then you will never see what truth really is. So, despite your objection and defenses, this man will be brought to justice.
Just my two cents, but a genuine Democracy should offer more than a two party system of the same brand (cola), who care more about inciting their personal petty squabbles than the People they say they represent. Way past time for the D's & R's to work for the People instead of their puppet masters.
I will never understand how people can turn a blind eye to treason, corruption and collusion with a foreign adversary like Russia for money and power. Ignoring the fact that this bastard has corrupted this government to the core for power and enriching his own fortune is enabling a traitor to our country. He is destroying our country right before your very eyes and your position in defending this happening is actually sanctioning and enabling it to happen. You people have no clue whatsoever as to what you're doing to this country.
Where have I defended him? All I said was "did it only start when he arrived..." thats not a defense of Trump, Im alleging that it was always there...
Why is that? In Which of the sins do you think that the United Nations has exceeded all other countries.
I have never believed that Trump has the interest of the US as Priority 2 .. never mind priority 1. Save that diatribe for the partisan Red crowd. The administration has been corrupt long before Trump came into office - and this thread - nor my post had nothing to do with Trump. The MSM is a propaganda arm of the State. It is owned by the Establishment international financiers and national oligarchs. This is the first thing you need to understand if you want to learn what the truth really is.
This is precisely why I've said in previous posts that Trump did us all a big favor. If it weren't for him being elected and his blatant disregard of our laws, we would have never turned over the first rock and found a snake under it. The law is going to uncover all the dirty, corruption within Congress and this presidency. They've done us a favor and it has already shown to be true in the uncovering of the corruption in North Carolina and Wyoming. Were it not for this traitorous oligarch we would never have been able to uncover the graft and corruption of State governments that have been ongoing for decades.
Why are you focusing on Trump/treason. The thread is not about Trump. I mentioned earlier the issues of corruption and greed. The example of such is the Bush Crime Family, and the weapons of mass destruction lie which led to Iraq being annihilated. Who benefited from this...mickey mouse...no, the Bush Crime Family... ..but I digress..America is not a democracy...maybe it once was, but not any more...
I hope it never will be. But there are voices wanting to destroy the Constitution and Electoral College. There were even folks gritching that Dems won more votes for senators but lost a seat or two, Wait. When did we get the idea that extra votes in a California election should influence who wins in Kansas?
Because I have already commented on the 'democracy' aspect of this thread and subsequent comments have led directly to the current administration, that's why. And of course, this country is still a democracy to think anything different is only delusion.
Im not going to waste my time quoting from my link, as I dont think youve read it... ..therefore, we will have to agree to disagree...
This has been obvious long before Trump came to town. Did no bells ring in your head when it became your "Patriotic Duty" to get on your knees, and hide in a corner in fear - "begging" to give up essential liberty for security ? Did no bells ring when Obama changed the name of the act which takes away essential liberty/freedom to the equally Orwellian doublespeak "Freedom Act" ? Nothing ? No canaries in the coal mine of Totalitarianism singing ? Did you not find it odd - that the group responsible for all this fear - the external threat that was so terrible that we needed to give up hard won essential liberty to fight this horrible threat- was a group that we decided to arm with very sophisticated military technology in 2011 ? You claim "our media is fair and free" but none of the media saw fit to question the arming of the 911 terrorist group - or even state that we were in fact arming and supporting Al Qaeda and the Islamist Jihadists of the same ilk that went on to form the modern incarnation of ISIS. despite numerous in congress speaking out on this issue and one in congress (with 9 bipartisan signatories) submitting the "Stop Arming Terrorists Act" ? Do you think this is some joke ? ha ha ha ... fool me once shame on you ... fool me twice shame on me ? Do you think it is some joke that in 2013 Obama repealed the law forbidding arming terrorist groups (so he could arm terrorist groups - even though this had been happening since at least late 2011). Do you think it is some joke that in 2013 it became legal for our intelligence agencies to create and disseminate propaganda on US citizens.... Oh but Russian propaganda .. we should be real scared of that .. Facebook ads showing Bernie Sanders with the caption "The Clinton Foundation is a Problem" - which is 100% true - is classified as "propaganda" and we are told that the voter knowing the truth is harmful to our electoral process (what Hillary and the DNC did to Sanders). Do have any idea what we spend on our intelligence agencies ? Roughly 130 Billion per year if you include "dark project budget" ... this is almost double the entire federal spend of Mexico - a nation that ranks 11th in the world in terms of purchasing power. 70% of this budget goes to defense contractors ... padding the pockets of the same international financiers who own the banks and the Media .. same ones who dictate and/or influence foreign and domestic policy. Trump will soon be gone ... the Establishment elite bureaucrats and Politicians along with the big money influences will still be there.
Do you even know what the Freedom Act was? How about the Patriot Act, ever hear of that one? Let me explain. The Freedom Act was signed by President Barack Obama because it moved the storage of bulk telephone metadata used by the National Security Agency to telecom companies rather than the government. The law actually strengthened civil liberty safeguards while "providing the American people with additional transparency measures." Okay so that was a good thing! yay Now, the Patriot Act enacted by Republican president Bush, took away many of our civil liberties. The Patriot Act violated the Constitution in several ways. It: violates the Fourth Amendment, which says the government cannot conduct a search without obtaining a warrant and showing probable cause to believe that the person has committed or will commit a crime. Under the Patriot Act, the FBI can secretly conduct a physical search or wiretap on American citizens to obtain evidence of crime without proving probable cause, as the Fourth Amendment explicitly requires. (Orwellian enough for you?) Do you think it was fair to forgive the Saudis for murdering a journalist when 15 Saudis took part in the 9/11 terrorist attack on the WTC? Do you think it was okay to invade Iraq and kill Saddam Hussein over a lie about weapons of mass destruction? Do you think it was okay to let corrupt banks go scot free and bail them out while Americans lost their homes and our country was thrust into a depression that rivaled that of 1929? I can go on but it's pointless with you. You will justify anything Trump does. People protecting this criminal are just "projecting" their view on other issues. To accept that Trump is wrong and did wrong would be to accept that THEIR ideas are wrong too. Trump supporters need someone and something to blame for all of what they have had ....or don't have. Take GM workers for example -- a LOT of them defended Trump, blamed GM and it is not Trumps fault it is not GM fault either. Times have just changed robots are advanced, automation is there, that's all.
Hmmm... I think you may be interested in this, or perhaps you're already familiar... if so, what is your opinion on Ranked Voting? -Meta
Couldn't have said it better myself. MSM is just a pack of liars spreading propaganda at the whim of their masters. USA have been at war somewhere on the planet since 1941, obviously to line the pockets of the oligarchy that pretend to run the country, hence the Bush Crime Family, the Clinton Foundation, etc etc...a democracy cannot be built on lies.
No. Are their elements of Democratic principles in the U.S.? Yes. But even North Korea has some elements of Democratic principles.