The dictionaries say that a democracy is governed by the people, exercised directly or through elected representatives. Elected representatives are officials who pass and debate legislation on our behalf. But are we really a democracy in America? Technically the United States is a republic. When all is summed up, there are four distinct insistences of presidential candidates who win without having a majority of the popular vote. They are John Q. Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison, and, to prove it still exists in modern times, George W. Bush. In America it is necessary to fight bureaucratic tendencies. Whether fact or fiction, roles of legitimacy and accountability in the U.S. government are extremely valuable. Legitimacy in this case studies the prevailing acceptance of authority. The division of legitimacy into three categories consists of traditional legitimacy, charismatic legitimacy and legal-rational legitimacy. Traditional legitimacy is history's usual attitude towards the current government just like monarchy. Charismatic legitimacy comes from the ideas and personal charisma of our leader. Either the man or woman who has an authoritative personality, captivates and psychologically controls the society to agree with the regime and rules of the government. A weak political and administrative base goes hand in hand with charismatic legitimacy because authority with this façade most likely disappears without him or her being in power. Rational-legal legitimacy is a system of institutional procedure, in which the government establishes and enforces law and order in the public interest. Public opinion trusts that the government respects the law that consults rational-legal legitimacy. A legitimate government must value the majority... the middle of the paper... Obama is an 11th cousin, but it is not so true that citizens know this for sure. Although father and son George Bush are undoubtedly hereditary successors. What we are dealing with in the case of American democracy is that monarchy is a supreme power or sovereignty held by a single person. The United States of America does not have a king or queen. We have a constitution that is followed by every elected official and their successors. There is no 100% discretion given to a ruler without communication from other people. The word democracy is used when politicians want something from “the people” and they use the word “republic” when they don't want it. Regardless, America is one of a kind, with ups and downs, but has windows of opportunity for citizens to matter as much as the President of the United States. Even the possibility for the citizen to become President of the United States.