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I take it, Kleinzeit, you don't remember your Pledge of Allegience
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Read my post again, DoubleNaughtSpy. I didn't say that the US
isn't a republic. I just noted that it is a specific
kind of republic: a democratic republic. (I take you don't remember the last time you voted?)
For a republic that
isn't democratic, go to China. Gun issues are decided rather differently there.
Despite a common myth, the terms "republic" and "democracy" are not mutually exclusive. We shouldn't get hung up on the party-political connotations of these words. Early commentators (such as Madison) who critiqued "democracy" were referring to
direct democracy; the US is a
representative democracy, which is quite a different animal. This is why Cowboy_mo's comments pertain to this discussion:
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With the current makeup of Congress, this proposed bill stands very very very little chance of getting out of committee.
If by some remote chance it does get out of committe, it stands even less chance of being passed by the House and sent to the Senate.
The NRA and its supporters had a very successful election in November and my guns & I feel pretty safe for at least 2 more years.
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It is also because the US is a representative democracy AS WELL AS A REPUBLIC that the effects of the media can be significant in shaping the debate. The Brady Campaign has influence largely because of the voting public. Which is why this ignorance about "ultra high powered handguns" is so vexing.