It's more of a democratic-republic. We elect the officials who ultimately decide, hopefully they decide as we, the people that elected them would, but it is not us who cast the votes that change our country. It's worked for awhile, but eventually every empire crumbles. I think we may be seeing the first act of that decay now, we, or our government has grown too decadent and righteous. It may, and will take awhile for the full wave of entropy to surround and claim us but I firmly believe it is starting nonetheless.
I know GL's power ring was discussed, but what about Dr. Spectrum's crystal? It bends anything to the whim of the wielder. In Supreme Power, we see the president looking through it, a stray thought about his secretary gives him a vision of her in stripper/bondage gear. Would you have the will to control it or would you succumb and let it control you?