I think a lot of them also don't really understand how the government works, and their conception of what "Democracy" means is so deeply enmeshed in the American Civil Religion that they're dealing with more of a religious article of faith than an actual political system grounded in the real world.
Of course it is, that's how "Democracy" has always worked. In what meaningful way has the US ever promoted Democracy? Yet every single military action abroad is justified by saying we're defending Democracy. It's not an actual thing, just a signifier (and practically speaking, democratic countries = countries that bend the knee to US hegemony).
practically speaking, democratic countries = countries that bend the knee to US hegemony
This is exactly what is meant by democracy in the empire. They don't mean anything else and the only time it's important is if there isn't a willing dictator to install instead.
Same reason liberals still think the US is a democracy: if you just say something enough times loudly enough, people start to believe it.
I think a lot of them also don't really understand how the government works, and their conception of what "Democracy" means is so deeply enmeshed in the American Civil Religion that they're dealing with more of a religious article of faith than an actual political system grounded in the real world.
Of course it is, that's how "Democracy" has always worked. In what meaningful way has the US ever promoted Democracy? Yet every single military action abroad is justified by saying we're defending Democracy. It's not an actual thing, just a signifier (and practically speaking, democratic countries = countries that bend the knee to US hegemony).
This is exactly what is meant by democracy in the empire. They don't mean anything else and the only time it's important is if there isn't a willing dictator to install instead.