A democracy check list

Ran across this comment on the Guardian blog.:

After all, this is America, officially a democracy with the rule of law, a constitution, a free press, honest elections, and a well-informed public constantly being put on guard against evils.

It struck me as a pretty grim diagnosis of what has happened in these last few years.

Well-informed public? Hah.
Honest elections? I'm really wondering.
Free press? Hah again.
A constitution? We still have one. But for how long?
Rule of law? Depends on what and where.

Let me know if there is more to democracy than these constructs.