I deeply distrust anyone who would raise any doubt whatsoever regarding the status of the U.S. as a 'democracy'. My studies have taught me that the best answer to that question is to say that we have a republican form of government within a democratic political process. Our Constitution explicitly lays out a republican form of government, but just as strongly, if not as explicitly, puts in place the foundation for a democratic political process.

The latter means that all citizens have freedom of political speech and that any restrictions on political rights--to include voting, running for office, petitioning government, and (peaceable) assembly--are 'democratic': universally applicable and universally applied. A fully democratic political process was achieved gradually, as unconstitutional--non-universal--restrictions, based on property, gender, and race, were abolished. (Even if property is potentially universal, if it is inheritable that makes any right attached to it inheritable, which is blatantly unconstitutional.)