When you, if bad luck befalls you, come across a MAGA spouting the

[kairos12]

"were not a democracy, we are a Republic" line, just reply: Yeah, like North Korea or China.

Generally leaves them sputtering.

[jmbar2]

1. I needed a refresher...

We are a democratic republic - a hybrid. That was the genius of our Constitution. Elected leaders, plus protection of the minority (of white males, originally).

Throughout our history we have functioned as both. Put another way, we have utilized characteristics of both. The people decide, but they do so through elected representatives working in pre-established, rule-bound and intentionally balky institutions such as Congress and the courts.

The government seated in Washington, D.C., represents a democratic republic, which governs a federated union of states, each of which in turn has its own democratic-republican government for its jurisdiction.

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/10/1122089076/is-america-a-democracy-or-a-republic-yes-it-is

[wnylib]

11. An easier way to say it is that

we are a representative democracy.

We are a democracy because we govern from the bottom up, not top down. The word democracy just means government by the people. It does not preclude the people choosing their representatives. Some people think that democracy means direct government by the people, with each citizen directly voting on every law, action, and policy. What nonsense. I don't know of any government that operates like that.

A republic is a democracy.

[jmbar2]

13. Very good distinction - thanks.

[2naSalit]

18. +1

[IronLionZion]

19. Our republic is a democracy, but a republic doesn't have to be a democracy

it can easily be an authoritarian dictatorship where people don't have any choice in their representatives.

[wnylib]

20. Then it is a dictatorship, not a republic.

https://wikidiff.com/dictatorship/republic

[PatSeg]

2. Ha, ha, ha!

I've used this several times online when someone says that very unoriginal, scripted line. One person even followed up by snarkily saying "Political Science 101, look it up".

I responded with something like this and also pointed out that he was being condescending and assuming with someone he didn't even know online:

We’re not a “direct democracy,” but we are a “representative democracy.”

The United States is a republic because our elected representatives exercise political power.

It’s OK to follow in the footsteps of Jefferson, Adams, Webster, and Chief Justice Marshall and simply call our “representative democracy” a “democracy.”

It’s also accurate to call the United States a “republic.” It’s mostly about your preference of words.

He did claim he didn't mean to sound condescending. Hopefully he never used that tired "We're not a democracy, we're a republic" line again. They think they sound so knowledgeable when they say it, but they really just sound like right-wing parrots. Hey, maybe HE looked it up!

[Aristus]

21. I always want to go thermonuclear on any asshole who tells me to

“look it up”.

I read more books before the age of twelve than these assclowns will read in their lifetimes. I don’t need to be told to “look it up” from someone whose idea of research is watching a podcast of some red-faced screaming fat guy.

[PatSeg]

25. I know, it is so frustrating

I realize they've managed to accumulate a handful of stock phrases that they throw out there whenever they are on the attack, but clearly their idea of 'research' rarely, if ever entails an actual book or a real newspaper. That is funny as they have access to Google like everyone else, but they still come up with total nonsense.

"Look it up" or "Do the research" usually means they don't have any real answers. It is a tactic used by no-nothing bullies who are just hankering for a fight. Also, their spelling and grammar is often an indication of how literate they actually are.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

26. 😅

[SCantiGOP]

3. Saying we are a Republic and not a Democracy

Is like saying that big woody thing in my yard is not a tree, it’s an Oak.
The reason they make a big point of saying this is that you wouldn’t have to have universal suffrage in a Republic. You can suppress democracy and still claim to be a Republic, like our early days when only white males were allowed to vote.

[Meadowoak]

4. They're not even that smart, they think:

Republic= Republican= good
Democracy= Democrat= bad

They have no clue what either word actually means.

[Mister Ed]

14. They truly have no clue what either word actually means.

Other words whose definition is unknown to them include "communist", Marxist", and "socialist.". As far as they know, each of those words means, "something I don't like, but I'm not sure why."

[brush]

5. Might also mention that a republic is a repesentative democracy.

[Emile]

6. I remind them we live in a Democratic Republic.

[Traildogbob]

7. Exactly

And how is SS and Freedom work with them. And unlimited guns in their citizens hands? And they don’t have NASCAR.

[Crowman2009]

8. They've been spouting that since the Iraq war when they harassed anti-war protesters.

They were called the Gathering of Eagles (more like vultures) back then.

[republianmushroom]

9. Great come back

[markodochartaigh]

10. The Republicans

want the US to be a republic, a banana republic.

[IronLionZion]

12. Even the USSR was Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Republic simply means we're not a monarchy. But maybe they would like to have one with Don Jr and Ivanka as heirs to the throne.

[Lonestarblue]

15. We're actually more a democratic republic now.

Originally, Senators were chosen by state electors, but the 17th Amendment changed that. Voting amendments also added to our democracy. Some Republicans have called for repealing the 17th to given their state legislatures more power. I think the ultimate goal of Republicans is to capture enough states so they can call a Constitutional Convention and totally rewrite thenConstitution to keep themselves in power forever.

If you have a subscription to The Atlantic, Garrett Epps wrote an interesting series of articles some years ago debunking the top 10 myths about the Constitution and our form of government.

[albacore]

16. The "republic v. democracy" tempest in a teapot..

is a perfect example of a brainless Repub talking point fed to the people who want to sound intelligent.

[Evolve Dammit]

17. Nailed it!

[Hamlette]

27. it's like saying "He's not a dog, he's a Border Collie".

that's how we learned it in college

[Martin68]

22. In most cases it doesn't leave them sputtering because they neither believe nor understand the

point.

[sakabatou]

23. AFIK, there are no MAGAts where I live.

[Mr.Bill]

24. Interesting juxtaposition with your sig line.