Democracy?

We call the U.S. and Canada (where I live) democracies. However I wish to show here that we are still living in dictatorships. Here are a few points for your consideration. Anyone is welcome to refute my points. 1. Who determines the appointments of the Supreme Court? 2. Who appoints the Senate? 3. When there are election campaigns as we have now in Canada for a new Federal government, how do ads of parties in the media portray the opponents? Do they adhere to a minimal ethics code? 4. Why is the U.S. divided between only two camps each trying to destroy the other (Liberals and Conservatives)? Why is Obama (or Sarah Palin) ridiculed out of proportion? 5. Why does each party get sponsored by radical groups or organizations that wish to benefit at the expense of its opponents (e.g. feminists, fundamentalists, large corporate elites)? Let's stick to the moral values if we wish to debate and to respect of human dignity if we wish to oppose others' positions. Is not that the basis for democracy?