this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2025
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What is your line in the sand?

Edit: thank you all for your responses. I think it's important as an American we take your view points seriously. I think of a North Korean living inside of North Korea. They don't really know how bad it is because that is all hidden from them and they've never had anything else. As things get worse for Americans it's important to have your voices because we will become more and more isolated.

Even the guy who said, "lol." Some people need that sort of sobering reaction.

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[–] dadjokesfordays@lemmy.ca 4 points 3 months ago

Nope. I see it as an autocracy run by an elite oligarchy.

[–] Aiala@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

In some aspects, but no more than china. (spaniard here)

[–] zxqwas@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Depends on the outcome of the next election.

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[–] OceanSoap@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

Democracy is an umbrella term. These are the types of democracy the US is:

  1. Representative Democracy

  2. Constitutional Democracy

  3. Presidential Democracy

  4. Liberal Democracy

Types of Democracy the US is not:

  1. Direct Democracy

  2. Parliamentary Democracy

  3. Illiberal Democracy

  4. Participatory Democracy

  5. Social Democracy

So yes, it's a democracy.

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[–] randon31415@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

People seem to think freedom and democracy are synonymous. Places can be free, but not have democracy; places can also have democracy and not be free. When a simple majority of the voting public supports cracking down on freedoms - you will have one of the two, but you can't have both.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

No, because I'm sure it's passed the tipping point towards autocracy. There's endless different forms of both it and democracy, but it's a constant that democracy begets democracy and autocracy begets autocracy, so that's my "line in the sand".

In America's case as of now, all the checks and balances that used to work are still there, but they've been questionable for many years and aren't going to do anything going forwards, so they're functionally more like Canada's monarchy.

If you're looking for a perspective on what's normal and what's not, consider that when there's a big social problem in Canada, it's only a matter of time until a law trying to address it gets passed. That's what a functioning democracy is like. Meanwhile, there's been a known place in the US where no courts have jurisdiction to prosecute serious crimes for two decades now.

[–] ACbHrhMJ@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

Yes, Americans voted for this administration

[–] RambaZamba@feddit.org 3 points 3 months ago

That's a retorical question, isn't it?

[–] Ephera@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 months ago

I guess, I'd say it's a democracy-in-progress currently. I mean, all democracies always are, but the US perhaps a bit more. Seeing the protests is a very good sign, though.

[–] ICastFist@programming.dev 2 points 3 months ago

Kinda. On how the voting process works in general, I consider it a worse democracy than Brazil, since nearly anything only gets voted if there's enough lobby money being thrown at it, not to mention the astronomic campaign costs. Each state having different voting laws makes the democracy weaker

[–] Belinea@toot.kif.rocks 2 points 3 months ago
[–] qnvx@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Sure, though the developments are worrying. If Donald gets a third term, I will consider USA an autocracy.

[–] Nangijala@feddit.dk 2 points 3 months ago (2 children)

The short answer: yes.

The long answer: it will take a long time to completely dismantle a democracy in a country as big and complex as America. You don't just do that in three months.

All trump has done so far is move as fast as possible to make as much of a mess as possible in the hopes that some of his nutty ideas goes through once the system catches up to him. And the system will catch up to him and Musk and all the other cunts who are having their little ego fest currently.

I have patience. Kind of. I look forward to seeing the consequences of their actions come to haunt them. I also hope this period in American politics will be the wake up call America needs to hopefully bar politicians and political parties from taking donations from big corps essentially try to buy the government and weaken true democracy from flourishing. The US isn't the only country with this problem, but it is certainly neck deep in one of the worst outcomes of letting big corporations take ownership of a government.

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[–] lonesomeCat@lemmy.ml 2 points 3 months ago

Is anywhere really?

[–] superkret@feddit.org 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

It's what they call a "flawed democracy" now. It's not at the point where thousands of people simply disappear and every aspect of political life is dictated by one party's leadership.
But it's sliding downward.

[–] LetterboxPancake@sh.itjust.works 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Yes, but hardly an example for a good one. Besides that, it has become a bad ally, if it even is one at this time, and a factor of uncertainty.

[–] gmtom@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago

For the time being, sure. I dint think democracy is a binary. Democracy doesn't imply a fair system or universal suffrage or a system where power is split.

Like for example the Vatican is a absolute monarchy and also a democracy.

[–] Shardikprime@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago (3 children)

Would be nice to know what part of America you mean by that. It is a pretty big continent you know? Argentinians, Mexicans, Brasilians and so on are all part of America.

Buuuut I'm gonna go ahead and assume you are asking about the UNITED STATES country, right?

Yes it is a Democracy. Not perfect, but then again which one is?

[–] Nibodhika@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago

I always find this so pedantic, yes, America is the continent but it's also the name of the country, just like you probably say Argentina, Mexico or Brazil for the countries you mentioned instead of Argentinian Republic, United States of Mexico, or Federative Republic of Brazil. By that same token when you said United States I could have assumed you were talking about Mexico, heck until very recently in history Brazil was also named United States of Brazil so if I or you were old I could also asume Brazil. But I know what you meant by US and you know what he meant by America, stop being pedantic.

[–] OceanSoap@lemmy.ml 3 points 3 months ago

The Americas is what you mean, vs America, which implies the US. If you want to include Canada and Mexico, you say "North America". It's not difficult.

I've been all over the world, and no one has ever been confused when I say I'm from America. This push to make it seem like it's confusing is ridiculous.

[–] SLVRDRGN@lemmy.world 3 points 3 months ago

Colloquially, internationally, when people say America, I don't think of them referring to anywhere but the US. I'm not about making things US centric either, just saying.

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