America: Republic or Democracy

During a recent conversation with some high school students, they asked if America was a Democracy or Republic. The answer is very simple, yet very complicated. America is in fact a Democracy and Republic, however those two words are not interchangeable as they are often used by our elected representatives and our citizens. These two forms of government are dissimilar; The United States of America is a republic. The fifty (50) states are co-equal sovereign States as a representative Democracy.
The fifty (50) states all have some provision for initiative, referendum and recall, thereby providing its citizens to a direct means of participation in Democracy. It important to understand that state constitutions' are generally protecting the Majority, with few safeguards of the rights of ‘The Individual’ or ‘The Minority.’ For example, it is why there are variances in how each state treats domestic partnerships or in the sentencing of those who have been found guilty of a crime. Finally, the education of our children has always been a source of anger and mistrust by the Minority, whose children have not been protected by state Democracies.
The Federal government based upon the Constitution should protect the rights of ‘The Individuals’ and ‘The Minority.’ In theory our Republic should be free of politics; all decisions should be based upon what is good for the country. The Logical consistency and rationality of the Constitution is based upon the willingness of the people to live by it….it is what keeps people free. Similarly, Democracies are free only if the people know that freedom is for everyone. If the Majority of our citizens do not understand the importance of valuing each citizen and their needs, then a Democracy could be just as tyrannical as the worst dictator. We only have to remember Socrates’ forced suicide by the Athenian democracy.