"The United States is not a democracy, it's a republic" - this talking point has in recent years gained traction among far right circles. "America Is a Republic, Not a Democracy", wrote on its website the Heritage Foundation , a conservative organization that since its founding in 1973 has followed the American right's trajectory of radicalization to the point of embracing Trumpism. " US Capitol Building " by Hey Paul is licensed under CC BY 2.0 .