In a broadcast that aired on Sunday, a CNN reporter called the claims made by followers of former President Donald Trump that the United States of America is a republic to be "an attack on democracy."
During the episode, a number of Trump supporters described the United States as a republic rather than a "democracy" in man-on-the-street interviews with CNN reporter Donie O'Sullivan. In an interview, O'Sullivan made an effort to refute their account with historian Anne Applebaum. (LINKED: "WHY?": Former Trump Official Resigns Unable to respond to a "gotcha" question shocked the CNN panel.
It is a democracy in America. When O'Sullivan questioned Applebaum about whether the United States was a democracy, she said, "It was founded as a democracy."
Conspiracy theories abound that I have heard. I hear a lot of things while traveling, but hearing Americans—people who consider themselves patriots—state that the United States is not a democracy stopped me cold, O'Sullivan said to Applebaum.
Applebaum held Trump accountable for the denials that the US is a democracy.
"You are hearing people say that America is not a democracy because there are people around Trump who have been planting that narrative and want them to say that," said Applebaum.
Documents and historical accounts reveal that Founders like Alexander Hamilton and John Adams had doubts about democracy, and Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution guarantees states a "republican" form of governance. (RELATED: CNN Data Guru Explains How Biden Could Lose Two Important States Due To Hispanic Voters' Struggles)
To be honest, Applebaum said, "the terms 'democracy' and'republic' have been used interchangeably." "They do not really differ from one another."
"It does not really matter that Trump is attacking democracy if they can persuade people that we do not have a democracy," Applebaum said.
James Madison described the distinctions between republics and pure democracies in The Federalist No. 10.
Of course, there is room for dispute about the kind of democracy that exists in the United States. Direct democracy, representative democracy, and even the constitutional republic—which you heard some argue in that piece—are all viable forms of democracy. However, observe that this is an assault on democracy rather than a discussion about governance or democracy, O'Sullivan said to CNN anchor Omar Jimenez. "People are attempting to persuade others that, well, the United States is not a democracy in the first place, so Trump can not be a threat," the statement reads. "People have heard the warnings that Trump is a danger to democracy."
During the episode, a number of Trump supporters described the United States as a republic rather than a "democracy" in man-on-the-street interviews with CNN reporter Donie O'Sullivan. In an interview, O'Sullivan made an effort to refute their account with historian Anne Applebaum. (LINKED: "WHY?": Former Trump Official Resigns Unable to respond to a "gotcha" question shocked the CNN panel.
It is a democracy in America. When O'Sullivan questioned Applebaum about whether the United States was a democracy, she said, "It was founded as a democracy."
Conspiracy theories abound that I have heard. I hear a lot of things while traveling, but hearing Americans—people who consider themselves patriots—state that the United States is not a democracy stopped me cold, O'Sullivan said to Applebaum.
Applebaum held Trump accountable for the denials that the US is a democracy.
"You are hearing people say that America is not a democracy because there are people around Trump who have been planting that narrative and want them to say that," said Applebaum.
Documents and historical accounts reveal that Founders like Alexander Hamilton and John Adams had doubts about democracy, and Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution guarantees states a "republican" form of governance. (RELATED: CNN Data Guru Explains How Biden Could Lose Two Important States Due To Hispanic Voters' Struggles)
To be honest, Applebaum said, "the terms 'democracy' and'republic' have been used interchangeably." "They do not really differ from one another."
"It does not really matter that Trump is attacking democracy if they can persuade people that we do not have a democracy," Applebaum said.
James Madison described the distinctions between republics and pure democracies in The Federalist No. 10.
Of course, there is room for dispute about the kind of democracy that exists in the United States. Direct democracy, representative democracy, and even the constitutional republic—which you heard some argue in that piece—are all viable forms of democracy. However, observe that this is an assault on democracy rather than a discussion about governance or democracy, O'Sullivan said to CNN anchor Omar Jimenez. "People are attempting to persuade others that, well, the United States is not a democracy in the first place, so Trump can not be a threat," the statement reads. "People have heard the warnings that Trump is a danger to democracy."
