I see what you are saying. Technically we are a federal republic but that doesn't matter in this particular argument. We (US) are boasting at being a democracy to the rest of the world. In the propaganda domain we are a democracy. Our citizens have the potential of affecting the political establishmnt through voting.
This comes in constrast to say North Korea, China or Lybia. If their government does something outrageous, one can blame the people to some extent, but they should also get plenty of slack since standing up and otherthrowing the leadership would take a lot lives, blood, and suffering. It is not just a walk to the voting booth.
In general one can argue that the people of a country should be the responsability for their government's action in proportion to their ability to influence that government's actions.
It's only one walk to the voting booth if there's an alternative available to vote for. Significant changes in US politics have cost lives, blood, and suffering.
The first step is for the majority to recognize the dysfunction of our democracy. People have to realize that self-censorship and self-imposed oppression is keeping them down.
As long as the large majority are drinking the kool-aid they will just end up being manipulated powerful elites and they will vote against their own interests.
On the other hand, in US most people still have access to the voting booth, and to alternative media channels via the internet.
Aside from being added to various shadow 'watchlists' most American can (still!) join an activist group or can try to contant their elected official without a fear of imprisonment, torture and death.
But in more general terms, I was referring mostly to the propaganda domain, in which we project ourself to be a beacon of democracy. I was offering a potential contra-propaganda point that citizens of such self-professed democracies should be held accountable for the actions of their government. Whether we are an actual functioning democracy is another story (I don't think we are ...).
Because unlike other people, most Americans drink their own kool-aid, and most believe the fictitious qualities that the government tells them to believe.
When we grew up in Soviet Union, we knew propaganda when we heard it or saw it. We didn't criticize it in public, but in private we laughed at it.
I am surprised at how uncritical Americans are of their own history, political issues, external relations, and media bias,
Most believe they have the most objective and free press and the most democratic government system (they are even willing to export it!).
So if most feel like they live in a democracy and feel like they can vote and their vote can really count, then they should be held responsible for the result of their vote (or lack of).
This comes in constrast to say North Korea, China or Lybia. If their government does something outrageous, one can blame the people to some extent, but they should also get plenty of slack since standing up and otherthrowing the leadership would take a lot lives, blood, and suffering. It is not just a walk to the voting booth.
In general one can argue that the people of a country should be the responsability for their government's action in proportion to their ability to influence that government's actions.