... I say no.

[url]http://www.lexrex.com/enlightened/AmericanIdeal/aspects/demrep.html[/url]

He is incorrect. We live in a constitutional republic.

In a democracy, any tyrrany that 51% of the people agree on is the law of the land.

As opposed to US where any tyranny that the government agrees with is the law of the land.

 That was the original intention. Men moved by the Spirit of God wrote a document that was intended first to honor Him, and second protect the people under it from the tyranny the were escaping.
 America is now run by corporations using its military and domestic police agencies in a policy of "Manifest Destiny" here and abroad.

A people generally get the government they deserve.

Or, said another way, people will always get just as much tyranny as they will tolerate.

Couldnt have said it better myself.

Jarhead is absolutely correct.  I absolutely love getting into discussions about liberty, the government etc., and explaining to people that we do not live in a democracy.  Their initial reaction is total disbelief, argument etc.  Then when I explain most people can understand why that is a good thing.

its a republic based on an oligarchy

chuck also doesn't like assault weapons and has said several times that no one needs an sks/ak47  [they scare him]

If you are in an argument with an older person, just get them to say the [i]Pledge of Allegiance[/i].  Boom argument over[:)].  Younger people don't seem to be able to say it anymore[:(].

Good discussion.

I'd say we live NOT in a representative democracy, but in a Constitutional democratic republic.

"Constitutional" because contrary to Washington- think, we indeed do have a Constitution.

"Democratic" because at least locally, we do determine policy via "50% + 1 individual" referendum-type votes.

"Republic" becasue we elect representatives.

All three types of gov'ts are represented in present day America.

We DO NOT have a pure republic. Otherwise, we'd never have local referendum votes.

And even our representatives so closely follow the polls and the winds of public opinion RATHER THAN being leaders and standing on principle, the principles we elected them on, as representatives in a true republic would, that even the "republic" charachteristics are morphing into "the will of the majority" democracy.

So we have a sort of mix breed, mutant, hybrid form of gov't.