Is Obama a Socialist?

[denuseri]

By popular usage, however, the word "democracy" has come over time to represent several different forms of of government in which the government derives its power in part or in whole from the people and is accountable to them for the use of that power.

In this sense the United States is accurately called a democracy by most people (Educated or not).

More specifically the USA is a Representative Democracy in the form of a Republic.

[DuncanONeil]

And you would be considered correct! However,to say we are; "a Representative Democracy in the form of a Republic", Is a term that is open for discussion, as you kind of admit to, therefore none of the others are wrong. They are at least as correct as are you!

By popular usage, however, the word "democracy" has come over time to represent several different forms of of government in which the government derives its power in part or in whole from the people and is accountable to them for the use of that power.

In this sense the United States is accurately called a democracy by most people (Educated or not).

More specifically the USA is a Representative Democracy in the form of a Republic.