Hmmm. How they collect and spend our money isn't really part of the definition of the word democracy. And while the "two-party system" is rife with problems that I'd like to see fixed, I've never seen a general election ballot that had less than five candidates for the office of president. We can even write-in a name on our ballot - I know this because I've done it more than once and still my vote was processed and counted.
Discussion
The definition just comes down to the one picked:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/democracy
In any of them, it has to do with who "makes decisions, policies, laws", because that's where power and purpose of it are. Money is st the centre.of that worldwide.
And NONE of that is made by you!
The voting is a facade - as Americans say, " A dog and pony show" to keep everyone on the tax plantation.😂
Even in real brutal dictatorships, they put up more than one candidate in elections and votes for them are " processed and counted".
The fact of your "democracy" is that if the candidate has no money of powerful PACs, they play the same role on that ballot as the alternative candidates in a real modern dictatorship.
At national level, your third party candidates get single digit percent - not even close to getting to make any decisions, because it's a "winner takes all" system.
No coalitions!
So, ends up that half the people take turns forcing the other half to live by rules to which LITERALLY HALF the voters and actual taxpayers don't consent.
Worldwide, we see this evidenced by how much your side is squealing after years of your opponents squealing.
It's pure idiocracy! Enjoy!😄