You're spot on about the media. However, I don't think that our media is critical enough of anyone.

As for Athens, well, of course there was the problem that it was only men, and that it was not democratic towards non-Athenians ruled in its "colonies". There's a great quote a professor said quite often, but I've blocked out most of what I learned in that seminar for good reason.

I've also heard the cantons in Switzerland called democracies, and it also has a consensus system, which is interesting.

We're not a democracy. But we can become more democratic. . .