Here are some feedback from our readers:

Your article on is the US a democracy....is poorly written, poorly researched and totally lacking in what the USA intends to be by it's constitution. We are a "constitutional democratic republic" Get it? And, we do it all without guns, killings, or coups. Neat, huh?
Glen M. Wilcox

For me it's clear the USA is a democratic country. The main argument for this statement is the USA people can have any president it wants if this president is white and comes from the Democratic or the Republic party. The second, please, don t forget Big Jo's (Stalin) saying that it doesn't matter who votes and who may be selected it's most important who counts.
Vlasov A

I'm a US high school student and if it was a democracy Al Gore would be the president. The government wants us to think that our vote counts and they hear our voice, but that is a bunch of crap.
Xxpearlx@aol.com

Speaking as an American, I would agree that the method by which we elect our president is not in the true sense a democracy. Our system of government never has been. It is in fact a republic. If it was a true democracy we would have by definition "mob rule" instead of what we do have is an extremely stable, albeit slightly boring, system of government. Considering the instability, both politically as well as economically, Argentina and Brazil is certainly a poor example of what a nation should strive for when it comes to the concept of democracy... ...Is it not time your version of "democracy" get rid of that collection of aristocrats you call the House of Lords?
Richard Nankervis
Richard, note that Brazil is a stable country since 1994 and that has nothing to do with being a democratic country or not. Democracy lies in the people electing the president they want, as it actually happens both in Brazil and Argentina.

Respectfully would like to remind you that our country has survived over 200 years after winning a war over you. Comment aside, there are times that this system has come to be a guide, very much needed. There is very little sympathy for Gore or Bush because they entered this election contest understanding what the rules of play are.
Barbspy

The US is a democratic country just as is Britain. Mr. Bush was elected by the wish of the people contrary to the whining of the Democrat-biased media. The election is perfectly "legitimate" as the rules were followed, albeit after a struggle with unscrupulous Democrats who tried to subvert the whole process by changing the rules after the event!
David Hidson

We vote, they count, if some people can't figure out a simple voting process then maybe they shouldn't be voting. (Florida)
MB1277@aol.com

By doing away with the electoral system, this would, essentially, guarantee that presidential candidates would focus only on the larger metropolitan areas and the concerns of those people. As someone who has always lived in a more rural area, I understand that the needs and concerns of those living in the cities are quite different than those of us who live outside of the larger metro areas. Minority rights would be a non-issue and the largers cities, rather than the country as a whole, would determine policy, law, concerns, etc.
Lance Butler
Lance, that is a myth. In Brazil 100 million people vote every four years since 1984 and the bigger cities never were able to decide the election. One of the presidents, Fernando Collor, was from a very small city and won the election thanks to the massive voting of the other small cities.

As an American citizen I can assure you the United States has never claimed to be a pure democracy. We are a republic, and as such our elected representatives are given the authority to make our laws and every four years pick our president... ...This system was specifically designed to prevent those citizens living in densely populous areas from totally controlling our government.
Michael M. Smith
Michael, the US is always interfering with other countries elections in the name of "democracy" and to make sure "the people elect the president they want", so the US should first be the example of a democratic country.

Does it matter what we call it? It seems to work.
Parke Hoover
Parke, the question was not if it works. Dictatorship worked for Chile for more than 30 years. The question was if the US are a democratic country.

The system is not perfect and I am sure there will be a great deal of debate given the recent election. My point is that you must understand the background of our system before you pass judgement.
Glenn C Rivers
Glenn, thanks for the very nice explanation of the system. But the question remains the same.

The US are not a democracy at the federal level. We are a Democratic Republic. Thus we elect electors (representatives) who then elect the president. If we adopted democratic vote then some 15 or so cities would control the presidential election. The canidates would not have to visit states like Wisconsin, or Rhode Island as they are too small to count.
Bill Welch

First of all, the US is a REPUBLIC, not a democracy. Yes, there are elements of democracy present, but the country's forefathers saw a danger in a direct democracy and saw fit to set into effect a representative democracy. If it were not for the electoral system, large metropolises would essentially chose the next president every time.
DELSEYECM@aol.com

The United States is clearly a democracy, if it was run in any fashion other than a democracy there might actually be some rhyme or reason to what goes on here. Florida tried to vote for the Democratic candidate but was overruled by the governor of Florida--the Republican's brother; the Florida Secretary of State--the Republican's state campaign manager; and the Supreme Court of the United States by the Republicans on the Supreme Court. Thanks ever so much for your evaluation.
Robert Chambless

I really don't think England needs to worry about how we are governing our country. I think you all have enough of your own problems to worry about. Besides, my Father and his generation saved England's butt in World War II.....if it weren't for The United States of America, you would all be speaking German now!
Bob Wainner
Really? The history books must be different over there...

AMERICA is a republic, not a pure democracy - a constitutional Republic of a democratic sort, one man - one vote. Majority does not rule. In a Republic, even if the vote is 250 million to 1, that one cannot be thrown into slavery. In a pure democracy 51% of the people can vote the other 49% into slavery if they wish... (them cites lots of "facts" that shows how good the US is)
Karen
Karen, what about this example: even if the vote is 250 million to 1, that one can stop paying taxes claiming his house is an independent country... Examples must have something to do with reality.

We Americans would like for the world to know that we are the victims of a political coup. The man we elected is not the man taking the Presidency. We were cheated by a political family with money- influence- and the power to rig an election. Corruption abounds in America with the Bush family in a position of power. They denied the right of African-Americans and Hispanics to vote. They used police- dogs and guns to intimidate minorities away from the polls on election day.
Jamie Gates

I assure you the answer is no. As an American, I was thoroughly horrified and appalled at what happened in the weeks ensuring after the presidential election Nov. 7. It became quite clear that it was not the voters who elected the president, but partisan politicians and Supreme Court justices that decided who our next president would be.
Lenore Cho