Why US is not a Democracy?

[Ksh » Legend]

[chubbysoda692]

Because it has been subverted by the special interests since the country's founding

"We of the United States, you know, are constitutionally and conscientiously democrats."
-- Thomas Jefferson; letter to P. S. Dupont de Nemours (April 24, 1816)

[chubbysoda692]

Because it was designed as a representative republic.....it remained so until FDR.

[Smoking Joe]

Democracy means getting to vote in free and open elections, that's it.
It's not a system of government as conservatives incorrectly claim, who want to make Democracy sound like some scary thing for their own nefarious reasons.

[picador]

It is, but it is not what the Ancient Greeks envisaged. They conceived of none but Greeks, with personal Greek concerns, engaging in the electoral process. Had thousands of Africans washed up on Greek beaches beforehand, democracy may well never have been born.

[Larry Phischman]

In theory, on paper, and in popular opinion, the US is a federal republic where government officers are appointed through democratic elections. Also in theory, our economy functions in a mildly government regulated capitalistic system. In practice and reality, both the government and the economy have been severely contorted and twisted together. Basically the entire federal legislative branch has been legally bribed (through "campaign contributions") by wealthy people and major corporations, to only support corporate big money interests. The corporate money allows our representative and senators to essentially buy their perpetual reelection, allowing them to enjoy cushy and highly lucrative government jobs with great benefits and almost perfect job security. And in the rare event they lose their jobs, congressman are effectively guaranteed high paying jobs in lobbying firms or private corporations.

Our supposedly free market meritocracy economy has mutated into a financial aristocracy, with almost no upward social mobility for anyone outside the top 2% of the economic ladder. The resulting capitalist aristocracy controls the economy, and greatly influences the government. Most of our elected officials are actually from the top 2% by the way.

[nosrednug]

Because the US was founded as a Republic, by wise men who understood what a horrible system democracy is.

[Summertime]

The money Chico. We cant omit the money that's involved. They don't care about democracy. You cant buy anything with that. Like elections , Presidents, Congresses.