Is the U.S. a Democracy or a Republic?

 ONGOING DEBATE.

Does it depend on who you ask? Or is there a formal declaration?

The United States is a representative democracy.

https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/lesson-plans/Government_and_You_handouts.pdf

Well, that could be one definition. Still, the question lingers.

The Constitution establishes a federal democratic republic form of government.

https://clyburn.house.gov/fun-youth/us-government

Hmm, more opinions abound:

Long story short, the United States is both a democracy and a republic. Anybody who insists that we are one, not the other — to quote something I saw on Reddit — is like a child saying the ball isn't green, it's round. Those words are not mutually exclusive. You can say we're a democratic republic. You can say we're a constitutional representative democracy.

https://www.nhpr.org/all-things-considered/2023-10-31/civics-101-refresher-course-usa-democracy-or-republic

SO, if you are wondering if I have a point, I do. Lately some have argued that the U.S. is NOT a democracy. Why would some argue that, I wondered. Then I came across a 2 year old argument that makes perfect sense to me:

Despite the lack of evidence, and the judgments of election officials from both parties and judges appointed by presidents from both parties, election denialism has become not only a thing, but a movement. And when critics call this an attack on democracy, some election deniers respond by saying the U.S. is not a democracy, it is a republic.

https://www.npr.org/2022/09/10/1122089076/is-america-a-democracy-or-a-republic-yes-it-is

This folks is NOT a fairy tale, consider:

Today’s Republicans really hate Democrats — and democracy

1) Trump’s supporters have embraced anti-democratic ideas

This chart shows results from a two-part survey, conducted in late 2020 and early 2021, of hardcore Trump supporters. The political scientists behind the survey, Rachel Blum and Christian Parker, identified so-called “MAGA voters” by their activity on pro-Trump Facebook pages. Their subjects are engaged and committed Republican partisans, disproportionately likely to influence conflicts within the party like primary elections.

These voters, according to Blum and Parker, are hostile to bedrock democratic principles.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22274429/republicans-anti-democracy-13-charts

Now before I get too longwinded, how would YOU define the U.S.?

Which of the many definitions do YOU believe best fits U.S. governance?