Debunking ‘Democracy Vs. Republic’: The Legal Theory Firing Up GOP State Legislators

[@JB-uv4hm]

Civics 101 class. We are doomed when the electorate is too stupid to figure out the basics. Who knew Idiocracy was actually a documentary of the future.

[@georgelayton6641]

@Rog🐆 I hope your air conditioner goes out.

[@vicprovost2561]

We are indeed doomed due to a failure in education and the crumbling of the family unit. Ignorance and stupidity on a mass level does not help.

[@JB-uv4hm]

@Rog🐆 hey did you know Geo Washington won the war by securing the airbases? Never has there been a more historical and civics illiterate in the WH than your daddy. Gfys trumpstain.

[@johnassal5838]

That may be optimistic. Idiocracy had a happy ending.

[@karenlebeter4196]

The rich really hate the idea of free public schools paid for by taxes. Look at Florida. They don't care if you are poor and uneducated, it means you are desperate and will keep working for wages that force people to live in cars and tents. Richest country in the world and we don't care whether people have food to eat, a place to live or basic healthcare. Look at Denmark, they decided their people were the most important resource and should be equal. You can live anywhere knowing they have a great school system. You don't have to worry about what kind of school district controls the schools where you live.

[@nancyk6726]

Article IV, Section 4 - US Constitution, the US is a Republican form of government. Article IV, Section 4 guarantees that the United States will never become a democracy. Democracy and Republic are two different forms of government.

[@scytaleghola5969]

You are adding context that is not there. A republican form of government merely tells us where the power comes from. A representative democracy is how we choose the leaders who we grant that power to. The founders objected to a direct democracy, but not to democracy in general.

[@lll9409]

It is called a democratic republic unlike oligarchs running the Republic in N. Korea.

[@ReformedRepublican]

When a party becomes enthralled with a con man with a cult, they lose their ability to honestly state why they believe what they do. They have become part of a cult, and cults notoriously do not end well. Let's hope their desire to return to 2 years ago as a policy strikes me as insane. And bsckwatdly dangerous, without actual cognitive thought, just an emotional rather thoughtful approach to reality.

[@jerrypeal653]

Bidens Raid is Watergate 2.0

[@stopdeletingcomments8884]

@Rog🐆 so all criminals should run free? We all know suspects must prove their innocence and courts must prove their guilt

[@stopdeletingcomments8884]

@Rog🐆 and you know this how?

[@stopdeletingcomments8884]

just half of a crime Top Trump executive pleads guilty to fraud in New York

[@donbianconi8446]

@UC8T8F06eTXfad0VZZY_8mOQ really believe that Mary's uncle isn't a criminal? How do you describe his call to raffensberger? How did those boxes of documents get to Mara Lago? What about raising 250 million for an election defense fund that didn't exist? How about when he admitted on air that he was attempting to overturn election results? Why would a non criminal surround himself with so many? I could list a few more crimes, but I just laid out a few that are widely known and can be corroborated rather easily.

[@erinmcdonald7781]

Thank you for this informative segment, also for including Ali's podcast name in the description. You should do more segments like these that help us connect the dots between our history and civics classes, and what is happening today. 💜✌️😎

[@TheChopf26]

Youre definitely not a bot... 😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

[@Madmen604]

I have talked with people on KZbin, who do not recognize the States as a democracy. You can have a Republic form of government and also a democracy. It was formed as a 'government for the people, by the people of the people'. The best description of democracy ever, imo. It sounds like the Republicans are now overtly moving to dismantle democratic processes and laws, toward an oligarchy like Russia. Incredible and heartbreaking.

[@douglashagedorn7717]

You've been paying attention

[@Terratiger]

English as a language has a lot of borrowed words - Republic is from Latin Res Publica simply meaning that "the affairs of a State are in the Public." Democracy is from Greek simply meaning "Rule of the People." I cannot believe that some on the political spectrum are using this to divide America. Part of the requirements to running a Republican Democracy is education. People who do not know nor understand their rights cannot have a republic nor a democracy. I think it might be better (for the simple minded) to change the names of the parties - Republican to National Party of America and the Democrats to the Federal Unionists. Just can't believe this.

[@jnnnx6586]

This is precisely what’s happening. They’re teaching these sheep democracy is something bad. They’re offended if you remind them we’re a democratic republic. But what’s really troubling is now they aren’t hiding it. They’re all but giving each other white supremacist hand signals in public. They seek to normalize this behavior.

[@wtf1185]

There's no level too low for repugnicans to sink to in order to overturn the will of the people and institute their authoritarian theocracy. It's disgusting, the lies these so called christians tell.

[@kaikaiser92]

Can America become too country's? the Republic of America and the Untied States i don't know about Mexico and Canada?

[@donaldcarpenter5328]

THANK YOU ALI!!!!! So MANY needed to HEAR these WORDS!!!!!

[@teamtransition9679]

What people are you referring to

[@chicagoboy1106]

*trumputin's biggest mistake was how strong Democracy will come out of this on the other end!*

[@melaniem9433]

Like a tidal wave!🌊🌊🌊

[@janwag6856]

Agreed

[@trueblue4069]

Let it be

[@chipsalom]

And his gamble was how much he could profit from the damage he could cause in the meantime. In terms of ego stroking, money, etc

[@damiannelson9820]

I am constantly challenging those in the MAGA cult on this issue. Not sure who started this supposed debate on the right but it’s been bubbling up more fervently in recent years. My take is that there is an effort to undo the Constitution and displace it with a more autocratic, minority style rule.

[@GrantAugustus1]

YOU CANT BE SERIOUS!!!!

[@satanicmicrochipv5656]

@@osiris7208 Nice try, but nobody is getting eaten. The minority just has to live with what benefits the majority. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Minority rule is the foundation of all authoritarian dictatorships.

[@cathichristian4142]

@@GrantAugustus1 They are serious and I believe they are correct.

[@GrantAugustus1]

@@cathichristian4142 SORRY WE ARE A CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC!!!!

[@whatmatters5486]

@@GrantAugustus1 so "we the people" really do not exist right? A democracy is ran by the people. The forefathers chose a republic because they wanted a democracy governed by the people but with represtative structure, hence the republic. Why do you think the first two parties in the United States were called the democratic republican party and the Federalist party? How old are you? Were you not taught government or us history? Or have you just been so indoctrines that you forgot everything?

[@BMrider75]

Excellent report/interview here. I'm fed up with borderline fascists bleating about "we're not a democracy", when it's merely a cover for pushing their facism. And they're wrong. Always push back hard against these people.

[@mars8923]

They are trying to force themselves on us and when we try to fire them they try to override us. Sounds like iRobot to me.

[@CBlargh]

I think they do use it as a cover for fascism, but the Republican concept itself is important! There's a reason why Democrats were the party of slavery many years ago. It's because in the middle of the 19th century, slavery was _popular._ If they had voted directly on the question, the White majority would have been more than happy to vote to enslave the Black minority. Republicans at the time correctly deduced that there are some things which must not be decided by a show of hands and enslavement was one of them. In the year 2022, Republicans have entirely abandoned this understanding, eagerly holding plebiscites on whether or not to enslave pregnant Women to give birth against their will and entirely ignoring the democratic process for selecting leaders, which is what it _should_ be used for.

[@jd-yo2is]

People just say that to try to sound smart bro. You’re way overthinking the way the stupid people think.

[@TheChopf26]

The fascists are the ones ignoring basic American history calling this a democracy when its not. This country has never been a democracy. This is basic American history.

[@CBlargh]

@@jd-yo2is Exactly so. It is almost always a combination of stupidity and attention-seeking behaviour, such as saying "the USA has never been a democracy"... well... that's not _really_ true. It was always an _imperfect_ democracy, but that doesn't mean we should replicate that or make the democracy worse. This is a stupid and dishonest thing to say and is only said to get people to look at the person saying it.

[@ggelsrinc]

We have a Constitutional Republic with a Constitution that is democratic, so call it a Democratic Republic, or whatever, it is a Democracy. They call the early party Democratic Republicans who were once called anti-Federalists. It's just a stupid debate and rather meaningless to an open minded person. The debate of whether we have which one has been online in political forums for a long time and the debate is always brought up by nutcases.

[@aishabintabubakr4944]

A Republic is different than a democracy because a Republic has elected officials rule in favor, whereas a democracy everyone votes on everything.

[@eskiltester3913]

@@aishabintabubakr4944 wrong. Listen to the expert in the video. Democracy doesn't mean what you think it means

[@aishabintabubakr4944]

@@eskiltester3913 Democracy is the people's voice in the government. Here's an apology Democracy = car Republic = Rolls Royce

[@mile_high_topher]

@@aishabintabubakr4944 Democracy does not necessarily need to be a direct democracy. The US is a representative democracy. We vote for our representatives, and they vote on our behalf.

[@meoff7602]

@@aishabintabubakr4944 A Republic is a form democracy. There many forms of democracy.

[@chipsalom]

Man, the people who think these two things she mutually exclusive... Are they disingenuous or just asinine? You can democratically elect a representative republic. This is an issue for concern trolls and stupid people.

[@sparkysmalarkey]

The argument is about the authority we give our representative when we elect them. We elect them to make decisions for us, according to THEIR understanding of all the variables we cannot know. People arguing for pure democracy want uniformed masses to make every decision. So it is clear, I am 100% for individual liberty and equal treatment under the Rule of Law. I do not want people, who have no idea what they are doing, voting to make decisions that affect my freedom.

[@valdavis7461]

@@sparkysmalarkey No one's arguing for pure democracy. People are arguing for more representation, the abolishing of gerrymandering, and for the federal government to prevent states from passing laws that suppress minority voting potential.

[@sparkysmalarkey]

@@valdavis7461 Have you ever been hired as a professional and then had the person who needed your help try to tell you how to do your job? Our problem is we are not hiring professionals to work in our best interest, we are hiring people to work in their best interest. Our problem is we are all too self-centered and refuse to acknowledge each other's issues. This is our responsibility, the task of finding that professional to do what we need done. We are the one's failing and it's because we are caring more about celebrity and less about ability and effectiveness. Instead of having two parties working in our best interest, we have one party making weak attempts and one party making every effort to stop them because it costs "too much". Not enough of us want to do the work, not enough of us even know what work needs to be done. If you want to fix this inform yourself, inform and the masses of our responsibilities. The Federal government is not the authority, the State government is not the authority . . . the People are the authority. We are the leaders and we need to acknowledge we are not doing our job. There are plenty of kind souls doing the work, but they do not have enough support because their solutions are not convenient or cheap enough for US.

[@eh1702]

“It’s not a democracy, it’s a republic!” “I’t not a plane, it’s a DC10” “It’s not a bird, it’s an eagle!”

[@spence7985]

There is a difference

[@kaybishop-orricktolley8807]

and yet, we're definitely NOT seeing much protection of minority rights happening in our Republican-dominated state legislatures. Citizens who don't conform to the current Republican party's definition of what a "good" woman or worshipper or worker or fill-in-the-blank or victim are having their Rights stripped from them by extreme laws.

[@lindaleelaw5277]

Po- taY- to, Po- taH-to

[@lindaleelaw5277]

@@Mathew-8896 Matt break it down to the simplest concept 💡 lol 😆 Relatable a light bulb moment in America say wa? Lol ohhhhhh.

[@shokojimhollingsworth3940]

In the United States, we have a Federal Democratic Republic. All three of those terms are important distinctions. The fact that the right will not bring themselves to form the word “democratic” is telling. However refusing to acknowledge that we have a democratic form of government does not make it so. Yet.

[@anthonygoodloe4196]

I am proof of the greatness of the idea of a constitution that represents freedom and opportunity I am a four time combat veteran plus Panama plus Bosnia I have served in special forces the 82nd All American division All the Way I am a black man whose ancestors were brought here as penniless worthless slaves and when I went to all of these countries around the world I am proof of the spirit of the constitution and the endless possibilities that you have in this great land we are all different we all have a story so that needs to be desperately shared so shame on all of you who discount my history my slavery my oppressed ancestors who discount the struggles and triumphs of all immigrants yes my mother is a German who was a refugee in world war 2 she knows the brutality of Hitler first hand so shame on all of you who want to discount me and my families sacrifices

[@donaldcarpenter5328]

SALUTE to ANTHONY GOODLOE!!!!

[@cowboybob7093]

Salute!

[@anthonygoodloe4196]

Thank you all and my father served 27 years also 2 tours in Vietnam he’s a173rd sky soldier!!!

[@erinmcdonald7781]

Thank you for sharing your story and experience. You are so right, each of us in this country has a story, has history. Good and bad our country needs to acknowledge the struggles, mistakes, and triumphs that made us who we are today. It's sad that there are people who cannot see the importance and richness of such history. Fortunately there are more of us, and we're putting up a fight. However, it is a tough one, as the revisionists (aka haters) have some focused, moneyed groups pushing this. I believe this is one of those times where our country is facing an historic challenge. So, you and I, and other like-minded people need to stick together and persevere. 💜✊

[@anthonygoodloe4196]

We are not rich we have not much but we do have honor integrity justice truth respect trust in law and love! We can tell a con in a minute

[@TorukMaktoDracarys]

The US 🇺🇸 Constitution, Article IV, Section 4: "The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government," So Yes we're a Republic

[@ministryoftruth8523]

I knew that America is a Democratic Republic, but I've always wanted to ask a constitutional scholar to clearly define what it means. Today is my lucky day.

[@cowboybob7093]

United States: A federation of republic states united under a constitutional framework with representative democracy. It's worth every citizen's time to look up each facet for themselves. "Republic" is very interesting, more like how it sounds, rhymes, than what most people insist it is.

[@richardsmart827]

Basically, it means a country with an elected head-of-State, rather than a monarch. Having said that, the World's best Democracies tend to actually be Monarchies (New Zealand, Canada, Australia, the Scandinavian Monarchies and The United Kingdom, where I'm from. And most of the World's least democratic countries are Republics: Russia, China, Venezuela and Cuba, where I've actually been (I'm English and live in Scotland).

[@jeans4484]

@aarqa Doesn't matter, it has hereditary head of state, so it's not republic.

[@jeans4484]

@aarqa _It matters when you say that the UK is a monarchy...that implies that they are rulers, that they make legislation...that they aren't a democracy._ Nope, it imply no such thing. Monarchy mean having hereditary head of state, regardless of government system. _So I'm trying to figure out this logic that says you have a king AND a monarchy AND a democracy._ Parliamentary monarchy, simple, all monarchy in Europe is democracy.

[@jeans4484]

@aarqa "well if you're just going to contradict something I know to be true, then we're done. You were no help at all." What you know to be true? Monarchy mean having hereditary head of state, plain and simple, there's no contradiction at all.

[@djpomare]

Isn't it funny that the Australian Murdoch family dictates what simple-minded Americans should think and believe in.

[@allangibson2408]

And that is because Australia rejected his propaganda…

[@lawrencedoliveiro9104]

It took 🇦🇺 long enough. They were under his sway for too long.

[@MrFlintwalker1]

Ben Franklin said "We have a Republic, if you can keep it!" The Constitution never mentions a guarantee of Democracy! Only the guarantee of a Republic form of government! Period!

[@LuisLopez2]

Republic defines an object. Democracy defines a process. That's why you have republics that are not democracies, and democracies that are not republics.

[@donaldcarpenter5328]

Come on Luis, you & Juan are going to make their heads explode!

[@LuisLopez2]

@@donaldcarpenter5328 the dude obliges

[@dehe82]

A republic contains democratic processes. In addition it has things like the constitution and bill of rights. A democracy does not by definition. Democratic republics are the most common form of government in the west.

[@sharethefootage1088]

If they don't believe we are a democracy, don't let them on the ballot. Simple

[@TheChopf26]

Spoken like a true fascist. This country was founded as a Constitutional Republic period, the founding fathers were against democracy. This is basic American history.

[@gdog8929]

Division that is what they want. This VS That. Thats what they do stir division. We are alll AMERICANs.. We want the rights THE CONSTITUTION gives us. UNINFRINGED UPON.

[@gperson1967]

But when fighting monsters we must take care not to become one ourselves. Politics wasn't always this way. It really worsened after 9-11. The government taught us all not to trust each other, vague fears were stoked to support the war. We need to deal with that and hold the leadership of the time accountable while they're still alive and we have a chance to.

[@kenbellamy483]

The political parties have little to do with it. America is a constitutional REPUBLIC, period. The word democracy is thrown around as needed. Democracy is essentially mob rule to get equal outcome. A Republic is individual liberty with rule of law.

[@karenlebeter4196]

Do we need to ask the U.N. to send observers to Arizona like they used to do in New democracies and in dictatorships where they have rigged elections??

[@TheChopf26]

How is the weather over there in china?

[@sirknukles376]

Yes

[@Phi1618033]

Political conservatism has _always_ meant anti-democracy. Historical conservative Thomas Hobbes was pro-monarchy, not democracy. Historical conservative Edmund Burke was pro-monarchy, not democracy. Historical conservative Benjamin Disraeli was pro-monarchy, not democracy. Whenever someone tells you they're a conservative, they're telling you that they're anti-democracy.

[@DomCalandra]

Anti-huge government. Stay out of our way and let us live our lives is the basic tenant to today's conservatism. Or mine at least. Too many governmental agencies and regulating agencies

[@damiannelson9820]

@G3ngh1s Kh4n Kindly explain why America’s conservatives are seeking to ban the word “equity” if they are truly supportive of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights? I’ll answer that for you - it’s because American conservatives are not interested in conserving anything. They are merely political reactionaries who “feel” that things used to be so much better, you know back when only white men had power, women and minorities couldn’t vote, etc.

[@cowboybob7093]

While I don't disagree with your examples, it's important to recognize that _monarchy_ and _republic_ are at odds with each other too. Yes there have been monarchies with legislatures, but ultimately the legislature is not co-equal to the monarch. I'm not a scholar so exceptions may be cited, but I can't think of any, Rome for instance was always imperiled by the imbalance.

[@Noreb]

@G3ngh1s Kh4n im sorry, but which party just took an established right away from half the population after over 50 years of established precedent based on their feelings?...

[@JFergel]

@G3ngh1s Kh4n "I bet you think you sound smart huh?"

[@GoogleUser-wf7bn]

Republican strategists have latched onto the idea that everything Democrat is bad, including even the word. They've been trying to confuse people about it ever since.

[@nancyk6726]

Read the Constitution. The US is a Republican form of government. The word democracy is not there. It's not about the party names. It's about the form of government the US has...a Republican form of government.

[@idcltd8740]

Make voting compulsory! Each and every vote should count equally, based simply on population, not partisan gerrymandering!

[@aishabintabubakr4944]

Our Founding Fathers knew more than you...but you just want Democrats to win

[@peterwatchorn5618]

Exactly what happens in Australia - at least it guarantees that most people show up at the polls (over 95%). Also: automatic voter registration and elections overseen by a completely independent, non-partisan electoral commission (which also re-draws boundaries based on census numbers). America needs to get real about saving its democracy, as these right wingers mean to disenfranchise those who don't agree with them.

[@rogerbrownreacts8528]

Actually only land owners should vote otherwise the political class crashes the system handing out everyone else's money for power. Sound familiar ?

[@rogerbrownreacts8528]

Also popular vote for president ends the Republic and your lifestyle ends. My State and 3/4 would leave .

[@LuisLopez2]

Being that this is america, you be better off by offering a 5% reduction in income tax to those who vote.

[@MichaelHattem]

That leads to downplaying the importance and legitimacy of elections. Plain and simple.

[@joeblough2812]

Sure seems like it, especially on Twitter.

[@DisruptiveWealthCreation]

Great reporting and analysis.

[@guydegregg6869]

All the more reason to do away with the electoral college and allow American citizens to speak for themselves, that's Democracy.

[@sparkysmalarkey]

We will have to abolish every State government to do that. That is playing with fire, imo. We cannot force 51 States to abide by Federal law without their consent.

[@kwhatten]

Which is your 51st State?

[@sparkysmalarkey]

@@kwhatten Sparklandia, so far it is only recognized by me. But it is a work in progress. All jokes aside, you got me on this one. D.C. doesn't really count.

[@barbiedahl]

@@sparkysmalarkey actually, we fought and won a civil war to do just that. We should abolish or reformulate the undemocratic parts of our Constitutionally Limited Democratically Representative Republic such as the Electoral College, the Senate and the filibuster.

[@sparkysmalarkey]

@@barbiedahl Oh the Red States are totally in compliance, that is why we are all here talking about rainbows and butterflies. We won’t find social peace until prosperity and progress reach every corner of this country simultaneously. Democracy starts small and works it way up, you cannot take away local choices. It is simply not fair or sustainable.

[@kimhorne-fortner3938]

This is what we need to be talking about. Let the DOJ take care of trump. He only holds 25-3% of the republican party. We need to be monitoring all seats at the state level since their objective is to take power and change outcomes.

[@Terratiger]

Unfortunately, this Professor did not do a good job breaking down the two concepts: A Republic: a state in which supreme power is held by the people and their elected representatives, and which has an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch. (Online Definition). A Democracy: a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives. (Online Definition). A Republic is how a country is organised. Hence Britain, Norway are monarchies but not Republics. United States is a Republic. Democracy is how government officials are elected. Hence United States, Great Britain, Norway are democracies. I cannot believe some will twist these words for a heinous agenda. God Save America.

[@cowboybob7093]

Every definition of _republic_ I've found is not about "supreme power held by," rather it's more like "the business of the nation is conducted in public." Democracy is one mechanism in how the public shapes how the nation is run. United States: A constitutional federation of republic states with representative democracy.

[@ktb183]

Exactly.

[@jmcg5838]

“The two great points of difference between a democracy and a republic are: first, the delegation of the government, in the latter, to a small number of citizens elected by the rest; secondly, the greater number of citizens, and greater sphere of country, over which the latter may be extended. In Federalist No. 10, Madison then defines a republic simply as "a government in which the scheme of representation takes place." Later, in Federalist No. 39, Madison defines a republic further: …we may define a republic to be, or at least may bestow that name on, a government which derives all its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behavior. It is ESSENTIAL to such a government that it be derived from the great body of the society, not from an inconsiderable proportion, or a favored class of it; otherwise a handful of tyrannical nobles, exercising their oppressions by a delegation of their powers, might aspire to the rank of republicans, and claim for their government the honorable title of republic. It is SUFFICIENT for such a government that the persons administering it be appointed, either directly or indirectly, by the people; and that they hold their appointments by either of the tenures just specified…”

[@Raven-ug8uw]

No surprise.

[@Terratiger]

@@jmcg5838 Well thank you. English as a language has a lot of borrowed words - Republic is from Latin Res Publica simply meaning that "the affairs of a State are in the Public." Democracy is from Greek simply meaning "Rule of the People." I cannot believe that some on the political spectrum are using this to divide America. Part of the requirements to running a Republican Democracy is education. People who do not know or understand their rights cannot have a republic nor a democracy. I think it might be better (for the simple minded) to change the names of the parties - Republican to National Party of America and the Democrats to the Federal Unionists. Just can't believe this.

[@donaldcarpenter5328]

THIS IS TERRIFYING!

[@Kexgoija]

So is the Republic with the Phoney Electoral Electors . They should face the Electric Chair.

[@karloslawrence9995]

What's wrong with the people of Arizona ? I've NEVER heard of such madness

[@Kexgoija]

Desert Rats!

[@emsleywyatt3400]

This is what happens in an organization when all the sane people head for the exits.

[@deedeew4040]

Some of us who live in Arizona are bewildered

[@IndifferentAgainstTheMachine]

Democracy is tow wolves and a sheep deciding what's for dinner . A republic is the same except the Sheepherder is there too.

[@cowboybob7093]

A _republic_ means government business is done _in public view,_ not a king's decision for example. A _democracy_ is how the people participate, ours is a representative democracy, everyone votes for representatives. And of course it's all built on a very _public_ document, our constitution that is somewhat of the DNA of the country, it meets challenges by growing according to the constitutional plan.

[@leeadickes7235]

Representive democracy is in the definition of Republic.

[@Ab-qv8zc]

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the *REPUBLIC* for which it stands...... Democrat believe majority rules over minority, and republicans believe in protecting individual rights and self government.

[@ready2escape100]

Eliminate the Electoral College.......NOW!

[@melaniealexander4388]

It’s not that easy. The electoral college is part of the Constitution. To get rid of it would require an amendment to the Constitution. In order to pass an amendment it requires 2/3 of both the House and Senate, and then be ratified by 3/4 of state legislatures. There is no way Republicans and Republican legislatures will vote for it since that is the only chance they have at winning. Gerrymandering is what they need to get rid of.

[@spence7985]

Get a constitutional amendment and we can. Good luck with that though

[@Kexgoija]

One Voter One Vote . No more paid electors! A stupid circus!

[@coldstonestunners]

Take your bullet

[@cowboybob7093]

Expand the House of Representatives to be more representative, that will take care of most of our Electoral College issues. If Wyoming is "one," then the House of Representatives should have about 572 elected members, not 435. To agree with you: -The electoral college and- the number of reps are not in the Constitution.

[@jedmaga3025]

Read the US Constitution... where do you find the word "Democracy"

[@LuisAlbertoRodriguezGoff]

I’ve done that for years. Explain why that is a false dichotomy. It is useless. There is no argument that succeeds were logic and reason are not valued. Even proofs-valid deductive arguments-are not foolproof. And it takes engaging a trump supporter to realize this.

[@gunkwretch3697]

yes the whole point is to destroy truth and change the meaning of words, what George Orwell called "newspeak"

[@valdavis7461]

Facts aren't good enough for Trump supporters. They don't even read what we write.

[@crsrag007]

He did a terrible job explaining that.

[@badstar9670]

super informative

[@panagoplos]

A constitutional Republic

[@richardsmart827]

Oh, I know this one without even watching the video: A "Democracy" is a country where the Government is elected by the people, while a "Republic" is merely a country without a Monarch - most of the World's best Democracies are actually Monarchies: Canada, New Zealand , Australia and the Scandinavian Monarchies, along with the United Kingdom (where I am from and live), while some of the World's worst Democracies are "Republics" - see "Peoples' Republic of China, "Republic of Cuba*" and every RethugliKKKunts' current favourite, "the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela". Just saying...

[@VARMOT123]

canada,australia,new zealand are invaded genocidal lands and monarchy was thrusted upon them . secondly example of a democracy is also india. most religiously,ethnically,linguistically diverse country that got independence from british monarchy .

[@fstblack1229]

Can you imagine a Country ruled by a dunce like Trump and corrupt party like Republicans. Here would be the next shxthole County America. This clowns are sold out to Corporations and wealthiest cronies, these right wing are nothing but prostitutes for the rich .

[@maxmoon2254]

That we’re a Republic not a Democracy isn’t new. It’s just an old John Birch Society Nationalist talking point .

[@eh1702]

In Lincoln’s day, during the civil war, the anti-Lincoln candidates of his own Republican party split off and started calling themselves “The Radical Democracy Party.” Meanwhile others of his party stood for election calling themselves “The National Union” party, to attract Democrats who supported Lincoln’s efforts in the Civil War. It’s very clear that they didn’t see a democracy and a republic as having any distinction that mattered in America.

[@davidjorgensen877]

The Repugnuts conveniently gloss over the fact that "republic" is simply a synonym for "representative democracy". In direct democracy, each citizen gets to vote directly on any and all decisions that affect the group, which may be practical in small groups, but certainly not on the scale of a nation. Instead, U.S. elections employ direct democracy only for the selection of legislators to represent the citizenry; these legislators then apply representative democracy to enact legislation on behalf of the citizenry that elected them. Yes, the U.S. is a republic, but republics are rooted in and based upon democratic principles. It is, in essence, the same system employed in every free nation in the world. Any system that is based on the holding of free and fair elections where ever citizen has the right to cast one vote is a democracy - that's literally what that means.

[@heatherhansen3664]

First of all, no democratic person is a "radical" nor did they call EVER refer themselves 'radical democrats" your statement is utter bs slathered in republican nonsense and insanity.

[@johnassal5838]

A republic is one form of democracy. So still a democracy.

[@AkweliParker]

Another intelligent, relevant, well-informed guest that you will NEVER see on Faux/Fox …

[@askani21]

Oh sure FOX would certainly talk about that smart professor! To attack him, demonize him, call his a "so-called" expert and probably claim he's secretly a Chinese spy, Deep State agent, pedophile and/or Antifa terrorist! FOX would then show a picture of his family, post his home address and ask for patriots to save America from that evil communist.

[@fepeerreview3150]

That was an excellent, succinct explanation that included examples to boot!

[@Elizabeth-yp8re]

Yay! Hello Professor!🥰Thank you!❤️

[@Never-mind1960]

Some estimates say that about 1/3 of the human population leans toward the sociopathic spectrum. The 2/3 majority of caring people must stop letting the sociopaths run the show. People naively thought that fascism was defeated in WW2. In fact, it was only wounded and hiding under a rock waiting to wreak havoc again. Such behavior was frowned upon before Donald; he just flipped the rock over. Eternal vigilance. Apathy is fatal.

[@leeadickes7235]

You do realize fascism is a form of socialism it is a leftist ideology. Even hitler and the Nazi were socialist. They were racist but still socialist.

[@Never-mind1960]

Take your meds Lee, then go back to school.

[@ttyler2014]

You can vote for your rights, or you can vote Republican.

[@justconcerned6584]

Voting for Republicans is Voting to taking away your rights.

[@mikesmith5600]

The Communist Democrat terrorist party needs to go..

[@khetto1]

@Rog🐆 you didn't read the comment correctly, but I'm guessing that's typical for you. You heard a Florida Federal Judge called out DeSantis on his anti-First Amendment actions? Oh, how simple it is to confuse you people. You fight to have your freedoms removed under the guise of "freedom". Weird

[@khetto1]

@Rog🐆 it was his stupid anti-woke push. Don't you guys do your own "research". You can look up other recent GQP anti-rights pushes as well. I'm not here to be your friend or educate you. It's a their for you to "research". You just won't find it in Fox or other right wing propaganda outlets. So how are the Dems taking away your rights? Slavery in the U.S. ended over 150 years ago.

[@khetto1]

@Rog🐆 go look at what the judge said. You claim to be for maintaining rights, but in the end you are just confused.

[@Solus3D]

Origin of the left: the republicans against the King of France were at the left of the king, the autocrat kings supporters were the rigth.

[@markpashia7067]

As I understand it, all of this was debated and fought over at the original constitutional convention. The two sides with different viewpoints worked and COMPROMISED to get something that all could sign. Jefferson's group by and large won the day. We ended up with a "Constitutional Representative Democratic Republic" in the end. This gave us a living constitution with room for it to change over time to meet the needs of the people over the years, but required a super majority making it hard to change without strong support. Change it we did as society grew and matured. The whole idea of ORIGINALISTS was to go back to the original convention AND GET A DO OVER FOR THOSE WHO LOST THE DAY and erase all of the progress society has made in the areas of rights being expanded and improved over the centuries. This is just more of the losers demanding that the MINORITY RULE THE NATION against the will of the people. If we went to a true democracy with "one man one vote" and used popular votes for all federal offices the red states would never have a say in anything, but as we have it now a minority can dominate the majority so something needs to give if we are to have any hope of saving the union. I am not hopeful.

[@TheChopf26]

This country is a Constitutional Republic period. We don't live by minority rule, and we don't live by majority rule either. We live by Constitutional rule. Your desire to suppress your political opposition is textbook fascism and the exact reason the electoral college was written into the Constitution.

[@barbiedahl]

I would change your description of our country by adding one word and changing the order of those words. We live in a Constitutionally Limited Democratically Representative Republic.

[@barbiedahl]

@@TheChopf26 sorry, all true republics are democratic in nature and we live in a Constitutionally Limited Democratically Representative Republic. It is neither one nor the other , no more and no less. You lose. Good day, sir.

[@sirknukles376]

@@TheChopf26 you are a perfect example of the dangers of the Dunning-Kruger syndrome. You don't know half what you think you do.

[@sigsauer7929]

Excellent to see so many well informed comments here, there is still hope for our constitutional republic.

[@francesbatycki404]

I have a crazy cousin in the US who attacked me verbally once by saying America wasn’t a democracy not a republic. One is a form of ideology. One person one vote. Republic is how one sets up a particular democratic form of government. Here in Canada we are a democracy. We are a parliamentary democracy.

[@evangelicalsnever-lie9792]

A Republic is a form of democracy.

[@robbiejones5634]

Ya, and look how well it's working out there.. failed health care "system", urban liberals in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa constantly decide the governing federal party, 3 provinces (AB, SK, MB) fund the welfare basket cases of QC, ON, and Maritimes.

[@stefanthorpenberg887]

There’s actually no difference between the terms. Democracy comes from the 2 Greek words ”demos” and ”cracy”, which means ”people” and ”those who rule”. The term republic comes from Latin words ”res publica”, which means ”things that matter for the public”, ie the people. The only reason to put up a difference must be that the votes from the people should not be important anymore. A minor part of the nation can run a fascist regime that still is defined as a ”republic”.

[@tytn9978]

thank you, Stefan for such a concise explanation. The concept of a different meaning with two different words is fostered by those who wish to exert unique control of the process, and basically diminish the "votes" cast by those who continue to believe they are participating in a democratic process. I think all the mess in the post-2020 election has shown the flaws within what could be a viable organic voting exercise. As a Canadian, i am astonished by the politicization of the polling clerks and other electoral process personnel, most if not all of whom belong openly to a specific political party. I would have thought that a great democracy would at least have a non-biased electoral team counting the ballots.

[@RJM56]

@@tytn9978 as an Australian, ditto.

[@pvttj8572]

Moscow Mitch Enabaler of. Bonespurs

[@gordonmichaels600]

Professor is trying to legitimize “democracy”.

[@kevinleecaster2698]

Was hoping he would have mentioned the Bill of Rights in this discussion. The way my family members that are still Republicans use the term "Constitutional Republic" in their gradual shift towards authoritarianism seems to be focused on the Bill of Rights and to assert their interpretation of "originalism" to end democracy in USA.

[@nancymcwhirter7643]

You failed to include your pronouns as required by progressives. Be prepared to be shamed and then taken away to your crime.

[@travcollier]

Seems like a lot of folks think the US Constitution was written just after the Revolutionary War and is all about guarding against a potentially tyrannical government. It wasn't... It was written as the government created by the Articles of Confederation was failing. It was written when there were literal rebellions against the US and state governments going on, when there was a looming threat of foreign invasion, and when the southern states were terrified there would be a widespread slave revolt. An example... Article 1, Section 8, clause 15: "The Congress shall have the power... To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;" Those 2nd Amendment militias are literally under the command of Congress to enforce laws and "suppress insurrections". They are law enforcement... ie. cops.

[@kevinleecaster2698]

@@nancymcwhirter7643 Are pronouns your biggest concern?

[@susanfanning9480]

More of this type of discussion.

[@nguzoloveinlofi3832]

A republic is a system where representatives are elected to execute the will of those who elected them. A democracy is a system where the will of the majority of the population rules. Ideally and in theory America is supposed to function as a fusion of both I.e. the public, through elections and various other means, is polled on which policies and public servants they want and whichever policies and candidates get the majority of the votes win. The elected officials are supposed to bring the policies to reality and repeat the process accordingly. In practice however, America is a society where corporations choose the polices and the politicians to enact their agenda(s). So technically we have a corporate republic.

[@deedeew4040]

I agree with you !!

[@fritterfoof5146]

I Pledge of Allegiance to the flag , of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under god Indivisable with liberty and Justice for ALL , Republicans never learned that in school.

[@taniagordon2589]

Thank you very insightful.

[@richardsmart827]

Also, there appear to be rather a lot of Americans who have managed to, somehow, CONFUSE THE TERMS - and one has NOTHING to do with the other.

[@jaimepatena7372]

We are a Democratic Republic. In a true Democracy citizens get to vote on every issue.

[@jaimepatena7372]

@G3ngh1s Kh4n Yes..they can vote to take away rights of the minority. The other problem is democracies are more vulnerable to demagogic leaders who end up being tyrants by fooling the people with lies.

[@jaimepatena7372]

@G3ngh1s Kh4n I took a class 40 years ago at UC Berkeley on the Constitution. The Founders looked at ancient Greek democracies...and there were many cases were the demos...the people...ended up being fooled by slick politicians who then became dictators...that is why they wanted a Republic with checks and balances against such politicians.

[@jaimepatena7372]

@G3ngh1s Kh4n Yes....so power is diffused in the system..and no one man can take control...that is why gridlock is not such a bad thing...it may be inefficient compared to Russia or China..but it keeps us free from dictatorship.

[@tytn9978]

yes, and given the chaos of several US elections over the past decades, can one just imagine so many people voting on every ISSUE!

[@tumblindice66]

Lock trump up!

[@denisdaly1708]

i live in Ireland. We are both. We have no king/queen, and then all can vote in representatives. Thats not hard. Of course, Ireland is a full democracy whereas The US is regarded as a failed democracy

[@carladehaas7866]

Ahhhhh...perhaps you value literacy & education...We, here, have problems with that...

[@bradcalhoun8976]

Thank you Professor!! I can’t be the only one analyzing this thing correctly. I’ll return one day!

[@LuisAlbertoRodriguezGoff]

Conservative media has spread that sort of nonsense for decades. Now that it is troubling us we want to fix it. It would have been easier if we had done so as soon as they started to portray democracy and republicanism as a dichotomy.

[@daveretash9153]

Thank you.

[@markdalbey]

I do not pretend to know more than a Constitutional professor or anybody else, but in polisci in college I was taught that a republic is a democracy. It is a representative democracy, so is a parliamentary government like they have in England. There are direct democracies and representative democracies. I do not believe that on the national level a direct democracy has lasted for more than 30 years since the ancient Greeks 3,000 years ago. There are some governments with a representative democracy and an element of direct democracy in their government. The Swiss have this form of government. I was in California at the time and California was used as an example of this mixed democracy. California, and all states have a representative democracy. They all have a governor, and a legislature, these are our representatives. California also has an initiative process. This is direct democracy. People can vote directly, with no representatives on their laws. The federal government has no initiative process and is totally a representative democracy, but it is still a democracy.

[@6Haunted-Days]

Ummmm wrong there DIRECT or INDIRECT democracies…. A REPUBLIC DEMOCRACY is a a form of democracy…. So ya kinda NEED BOTH to explain our political system. Cuz ah NO republic doesn’t mean democracy like wtf! 😂🤣😂🤣🙄 Quit lying NO professor with a degree would teach that…. You heard it in one of your cult podcasts or shows…. The right have been pushing this BS pointless supposed truth for like 15yrs ya kinda gotta ask WHY they hate that word DEMOCRACY SOOOOOO MUCH? 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@angie99656]

If my leaders can't be held accountable by me then they are not my leaders anymore

[@marrz8244]

Great conversation ✌️🤘

[@cowboybob7093]

I agree, great conversation. United States: A constitutional federation of republic states with representative democracy. Sometimes I phrase it a little better but it covers the four main concepts. Look at Europe: States, the countries are known as states - but in the USA they are federated. Bear with me, The _United_ States. - So much described in the names.

[@robertkoch7388]

I feel like Amar never answered his question. I view our system in simple terms. The USA is Structured as a Republic, but it Functions as a Democracy.

[@reymohammed7040]

A republic is a representative democracy, the only kind possible for a population larger than 200 or so.

[@3souris]

In a family larger than six.

[@madhabitz]

Lots to digest here, but it's a really good start to wrapping my head around some crazy stuff.

[@smartist_witin_kintucky]

imagine beliving trump is still guilty when weisselberg already confessed

[@jnagarya519]

The DEAL Weisselberg made is that he will testify against the Trump criminal enterprise but NOT against Trump. If he doesn't do that, he gets 15 years. The problem for Trump -- and dumbed-down Trumpeters -- is that Trump and his criminal enterprise are inseparable.

[@Saje3D]

Derp.

[@stevenfleming7769]

Said the cult member.

[@biglongcadillac]

It is a troll

[@brucebridges2189]

Imagine being such an ignoramus that you believe only person can responsible for a crime.

[@NDARYBC]

WE LOVE DEMOCRACY, WE'RE BORN IN TO IT, IT'S IN OUR BLOOD

[@nata3467]

Let's make this easy Republican equals fascist everyone else is fighting for the American ideals of Republic and democracy.

[@tombickman9292]

Wow....that may be the most brainwashed statement of the decade

[@mikesmith5600]

Let me make this clear you scratch a liberal you will find a Fascist..

[@richardsmart827]

As a quick reminder, a "Democracy" is a system in which the people choose the Government while a "Republic" simply means that a country doesn't have a monarch - "Republic" ISN'T a synonym for Democracy. If anybody doesn't believe me, I would recommend Googling "Republic of Cuba", "Peoples' Republic of China" and every RethugliKKKunts' current favourite, the "Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela". Also, most of the World's best Democracies are actually Monarchies - Canada, New Zealand and the Scandinavian Monarchies, as well as The United Kingdom, which is where I live. Just saying...

[@emsleywyatt3400]

"A well regulated democracy"? The right of the people to vote shall not be infringed.

[@Kexgoija]

Well.....maybe a few fringes here and there....N O T!!!

[@josephtraficanti689]

After all this time we finally discover who we are! My sincere and heartfelt thanks to Velshi and Professor Amar. There is no substitute for know what it is that you are trying to do. Such as being a DEMOCRACY.

[@sir.lancelot8338]

It's a Democracy and a Republic ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ that's what I been saying all along

[@i.m.gurney]

The above covers my view of the American two parties. I was first drawn to this train of thought pondering my own, the UK party names. For years I had issue with label Labour, since the move away from the class system, to focus just on the labour force seemed in error, so the label misnomer. Then the label Liberal, signals inefficiency, also a misnomer. Conservative has always appeared to be the only wholistic label, conservation is even to be found (repeatedly) in the Laws of Physics.

[@allein50]

In the words of your immortal Joe (the smartest Dem): "America is a nation that can be defined in a single word.. *ASUFUTIMAEHAEHFUTBW"*

[@ronbillay3929]

@fun_fact It was glorious watching Dr. Jill walk away in disgust, after Joe's glasses fell off after he was unable to dress himself.

[@eggsbenedict2251]

@fun_fact Trump passed a cognitive test, Biden wouldn't take one.....because reasons.

[@halcyon6098]

​@fun_fact fun fact. you smell like old milk, breathe from your mouth, mess a few spots when u wipe, picks nose and eats it. 😂😂😂 but i still love you 😘

[@SwiftJustice]

@@eggsbenedict2251 Trump was forced to take one.

[@eggsbenedict2251]

@@SwiftJustice But Biden wasn't, despite his obvious impairments. Democrat privilege strikes again.

[@warithmuhammad9964]

Well done

[@wgjung1]

Democracy is a Greek word. Republic is a Latin world. One means "rule by the people" and the other means "commonwealth".

[@evangelicalsnever-lie9792]

And yet a Republic is a form of democracy.

[@avivavogelgabriel5482]

Thank you!

[@donaldcarpenter5328]

Don't CONFUSE them Juan....

[@Kexgoija]

@@donaldcarpenter5328 I, HE, SHE, THEM.....HMMMMM

[@Kexgoija]

@@evangelicalsnever-lie9792 A Repub is a form of Fascist!

[@richardtaylor9702]

This is important

[@suntzu5836]

A democratically elected Constitutional Republic.....Hope this helps🤩

[@incognito3620]

So bottom line to what this gentleMan is say saying is WE ELECT THOSE WE CHOSE TO GOVERN US BASED ON LAWS WE ENACT. --SO VOTE DEMOCRATIC IF YOU WANT TO KEEP OUR DEMOCRACY.

[@vote4democracyvotedemocrat154]

👍👍

[@barbiedahl]

We live in a Constitutionally Limited Democratically Representative Republic. Nothing more and nothing less.

[@zacharydavis4398]

0:00 - 5:45 thank you for spending the time to create and share this content ❤️🤍💙🇺🇸💯

[@GGNH1234]

“America is a republic, not a democracy”. It’s so annoying hearing people who say this. America is both a democracy and a republic.

[@Molue_]

A republic is a form of governance, a democracy is a means of governance.

[@tarajoyce3598]

This needs a lot more views!

[@320ceman]

TERM LIMITS ARE NEEDED!!!!! in CONGRESS

[@rogerdorsey7823]

YES! THIS GAVE US SOVERIGN IMMUNITY TO POLITICAL THUGS PROTECTION FROM PROSECUTION AND IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL...

[@jamesshepard4743]

A lot of the people that invoke the word “ democracy “ tend to act like you’re grasping at straws , when they’re corrected on the difference.

[@Jobfilm1]

We are a constitutional free republic. Period. Not a democracy. You sir, as a law professor, should be ashamed of yourself. Stop missing words and not answer the direct question. We simply use a democratic process to elect leaders.

[@Mike-ne8eb]

What a fatuous remark.

[@Jobfilm1]

@@Mike-ne8eb why do you call my remark pointless or silly? What I said was true. We are not a democracy. We have leaders who have lied and still lie to you and everyone else and claim we are a democracy. We are not.

[@Raven-ug8uw]

Can't stand him.