United States as a Democracy Essay - 1870 Words

United States as a Democracy Thomas Jefferson once wrote in the Declaration of Independence, â€Å"we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.† Today, this quote stands tall in defining and describing the type of government the United States has created for the people. A democracy is a supreme power†¦show more content†¦These officials are carefully selected and voted upon to make decisions to please the general population. This is compared to the legislative branch in the United States government in which single representatives are elected to represent the people. 1 A common characteristic that contributes to the practices of democracy is the concept of checks and balances. James Madison, the fourth president quoted the accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive, and judiciary, in the same hands...may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny. These checks and balances are primarily used to assure that the government or no branches or offices of the government hold to much power. The term â€Å"separation of powers† is somewhat inaccurate in terms of the powers are not actually be divided but they are ideally shared. The founding fathers of this country believed that unrestrained power is dangerous, and is a good thing the president and court check each other along with the state and federal governments. For example, the Congress is in charge of making the laws and other legislature authority but the president can veto that bill. In return, the president is also limited because the congress can then override the veto by 2/3 of the majority. 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