[vundercind]

To put a finer point on it: actual experts in the study of government routinely refer to the US as a democracy. It’s absolutely not a sign of better familiarity with the topic to “correct” that usage—it’s a sign of low side of middling familiarity, specifically.

[DANmode]

Debate whatever you want, we do not have a direct democracy, which is what most people hear when they hear "Democracy". It's Representative Democracy. Supposedly.

[vundercind]

That isn’t what most people think of when they hear “democracy” in the context of describing countries like the US as a democracy. Lay-usage and expert usage are in accord here. It means more-or-less liberal and with voting that significantly affects how the state runs and/or who runs it. That’s all, and that usage doesn’t confuse anyone. If we didn’t use “democracy” for that we’d just have to come up with something else, because it’s a very useful term to have. But everyone just uses “democracy” and that works great.

[DANmode]

It's what a nonzero number of Americans hear.

You're talking to one, who knows others.

Democracy as defined is a goal we have. Not something all (maybe most!) Americans would claim to enjoy.

[dragonwriter]

Goalposts shift from

> most people

to

> a nonzero number of Americans

Holy motte and bailey, Batman.

[DANmode]

Why don't you keep this thread on-topic, and reply to:

> "Shouldn't it be very easy to vote to fix that in a democracy?"

[vundercind]

You mean you thought tejohnso believes the US is a direct democracy, because of that post?

[DANmode]

They, like many others, probably have a somewhat fuzzy grasp on what the meaning of word democracy is, due to the way it's used.

Honestly, I can't even think of an alternate(, but still charitable,) interpretation of:

"Shouldn't it be very easy to vote to fix that in a democracy?"

Suggest one, if you can?

[dragonwriter]

> we do not have a direct democracy, which is what most people hear when they hear "Democracy".

That hasn't been the dominant use of the term for centuries, but, sure, you keep pretending.

[DANmode]

No, you're right, we're bringing (federated republics with some vestige elements of) democracy ALL OVER THE WORLD!

[dllthomas]

It's a federated representative democracy with some issues, some of the components of which have some level of direct democracy.

It is also a republic. It could be a republic even if it was a pure direct democracy somehow without "issues" - in fact I struggle to see how a direct democracy without issues could be something other than a republic.

[DANmode]

> some of the components of which have some level of direct democracy.

What, HOAs?

[dragonwriter]

State level initiative and referenda processes.