Democrats are laying the groundwork to safeguard democracy, using the term in a broader sense that includes a democratic republic with checks and balances, instead of direct democracy where every decision is made by popular vote. The United States is a republic where representatives are elected to make decisions, not a direct democracy where every issue is voted on by the public. The founders opposed a system where every decision is made by the majority, labeling it a mobocracy. Hence, the US system includes various layers of government with checks and balances like Congress, the Senate, and the judiciary, as well as the electoral college, to prevent the tyranny of the majority, echoing the concerns highlighted in the Federalist Papers.