In theory. As long as we have politicians willing to disregard the constitution in favor of a "mandate" from voters to execute the platform they ran on, we're effectively a democracy (although even that is superficial, we're more of an oligarchy)
Technically the US is a Republic. The reality is that a combination of changing the senate from appointed status to elected by the people and the advent of visually oriented mass media (TV) that the US has effectively become a democracy.
With something like 47% of the population on the dole in one form or another we've pretty much reached the stage that, "that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury."
CA actually has enough signatures to get an initiative on teh ballot to split it into six states. Not sure how much support it will get, but I bet the blue folk are biting their nails hoping it goes away quietly(with the exception of LA and SF the state is mostly red).
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