re: Democracy - YES!
A government that has frequent elections has a better chance against dictatorship, lordship, kinship whaterships your fancy.
I think that the U.S. has held the truest of Democracy because it is upheld, the rights of the people are upheld by those laws and checks. The elite doesn't have it all, not one person has it all, but we all strive for our share and hopefully for what is right. The founding fathers made it that way because they knew that man kind can get greedy. Be it greed from one or of many in a group.
Personally, I love the gridlock that we've seen lately. More time to come up with something that is right and positive for everyone.