The founders say otherwise ...

Got this in the email this morning in response to this week's column:

"I have news for you. This country is a democracy. A republic is a subdivision of democracy. The United Kingdom is a monarchy but it is also a democracy. Other democratic countries have some other variations on the theme but we are all democracies. A democracy is simply a form of government in which the citizens have a large role in the decision-making, one way or another. If all else fails, try the dictionary. Unless, of course, you find it useful to make up your own definitions of words."

You could argue that we are a "representative democracy," but that's not REALLY a democracy. Of course, the letter writer surely doesn't care about my opinion. Maybe, he'll believe the founders, though. Since they created this republic ... not democracy.

“Democracy... while it lasts is more bloody than either [aristocracy or monarchy]. Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide.” - John Adams

“A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.” - Thomas Jefferson

I continue to maintain - a democracy, we are not.