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I find that this article is pretty frightening. There definitely need to be laws mandating voting like there are in other countries. Voting holiday's should also be instated so American's can take time out to participate in their Republic. There is no Jeffersonian Democracy without the participation of the people.
Democracy is over: Americans have 'near-zero' impact on policy and laws; corporations dominate government actions Wednesday, August 20, 2014 by: J. D. Heyes
(NaturalNews) One of Americans' most cherished civil rights is also one of its most underused, which is a major reason why we are governed by some of the worst misfits and miscreants among us.
According to a startling new piece of research by a pair of political science professors, ordinary Americans have virtually no impact at all on the making of national policy. By contrast, reports The Hill, "The analysts found that rich individuals and business-controlled interest groups largely shape policy outcomes in the United States."
The study should serve as a crystal clear clarion call to the vast majority of Americans who are simply bypassed by a government that was supposed to be, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, "of the people, by the people, for the people" -- not "of the special interests and by the special interests."
In order to reclaim the promise of American-style republicanism and democracy, the pair warn, citizens must act positively and decisively to change the relationship between them and their elected leaders.
'Nearly no influence at all'
As noted by The Hill:
The new study, with the jaw-clenching title of "Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens," is forthcoming in the fall 2014 edition of Perspectives on Politics. Its authors, Martin Gilens of Princeton University and Benjamin Page of Northwestern University, examined survey data on 1,779 national policy issues for which they could gauge the preferences of average citizens, economic elites, mass-based interest groups and business-dominated interest groups. They used statistical methods to determine the influence of each of these four groups on policy outcomes, including both policies that are adopted and rejected.
They found that, when controlling for the power of financial elites and organized interest groups, the influence of ordinary Americans registered at a "non-significant, near-zero level."
The political scientists further noted that rich individuals and business-dominated interest groups vastly dominate the legislative and policy-making process. But the mass-based interest groups had minimal influence when compared to those who are business-related.
The study further debunks the belief that the policy preferences of business and the rich tend to reflect the views of ordinary Americans. The researchers found to the contrary, in fact; such preferences mostly sharply diverge, and when they do, which is often, the economic and business elites nearly always win the day and ordinary Americans lose.
The researchers also said that, given the limitations of tapping into the full-power elite in the country and their policy preferences, "the real world impact of elites upon public policy may be still greater" than even the study's alarming findings indicate.
The authors note:
Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence. The results provide substantial support for theories of Economic Elite Domination and for theories of Biased Pluralism, but not for theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy or Majoritarian Pluralism.
Americans are largely to blame - because they're not voting
The elite financial and business interests have the capacity to hire high-powered and expensive lobbying firms that are constant fixtures around lawmakers in D.C., as well as fill their campaign coffers.
But ordinary Americans are partly to blame for the dearth of influence, mostly because a sizeable portion of the electorate routinely chooses not to vote, the authors noted.
The Hill reported the abysmal voting figures:
America's turnout rate places us near the bottom of industrialized democracies. More than 90 million eligible Americans did not vote in the presidential election of 2012 and more than 120 million did not vote in the midterm elections of 2010.
The study's authors further found that ordinary citizens in increasing numbers over the past several decades have largely abandoned participation in grassroots movements -- like the Civil Rights and Women's Rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s -- as well.
"Without a substantial presence on the ground, people-oriented interest groups cannot compete against their wealthy adversaries," The Hill reported, citing the study's findings.
Correct
The problems:
1. PACs
2. Lobbyists
3. Senators being elected, not appointed
4. no term limits
5. massive budget which allows pork and special interest spending
Our politicians are bought and sold by interests that in many instances have nothing to do with the best interest of US citizens. As long as we have politicians focused on re-election and lining their pockets by contributions from bankers and wealthy citizens, we will never have a true republic.
The solution:
1. eliminate PACs
2. eliminate lobbying
3. appoint US senators via state legislatures
4. one term - term limits
5. balanced budget amendment- keep discretionary spending at bay and thus pork spending
I know its happening, but when incumbent politicians get reelected like 80% of the time, its hard to blame corporations about people's voting habits.
Most folks hate law makers from other states. They just don't look at their own
They are beginning to, a recent poll I saw said that people are changing and that many voters that normally have a low opinion of politicians, but not their own, are now changing and beginning to get frustrated even with those they themselves voted into office, this very rare in the US. A Do Nothing government has that impact on People when it goes on long enough and it is looking like Americans are finally waking up. Things like big corporations giving huge amounts to politicians for their elections and the huge number of Lobby's subverting our Reps so that they ignore the will of the People in order to do the work of those with suitcases full of money needs to stop. If things continue for much longer this will get to a point where People could get disgusted enough to say to heck with the system and join together and tear it down, if their vote counts for nothing they would be in the right to do so. It would be a awful page in our History and who knows if what would replace it would be any better. From the tone of the Nation today I doubt the unity could be maintained and my guess is the United States would be a thing of history and several new Nations would emerge, some more Liberal and some more Conservative in nature. So if you love this Nation as being one united union then you better hope the way our government is run changes and soon, because if it does not it just a matter of time before enough people say enough is enough we are done with the experiment and the struggle will begin in deadly earnest.
I think that Free Speech considerations would make it hard to eliminate numbers 1 and 2. I don't see how reverting back to appointed Senators would eliminate the problem. So, 3 is questionable. 4. I don't believe in term limits. As long as the people still want a person to represent them they should be able to vote in who ever they want. Number 5 yes there is a large budget and doubtful that is going away as well.
The solutions that I think would be more effective are:
1. Mandatory Voting Laws and Voter holidays. The people's voice needs to be heard.
2. Eliminate the bicameral Congress getting rid of the Senate.
3. Either expanding the congress so that anyone can afford to run a campaign. Under the constitution there can be up to one representative per 30,000. The common man could run for Congress if all they have to do is convince 15,000 plus 1 to vote for them. This will also make it much harder for big money to corrupt the Congress because there will be about 10,000 representatives in the House.
OR
We should switch to a proportional representation system where the number of seats in Congress are alotted along the number of people registered in the party.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hawkeye2009
Correct
The problems:
1. PACs
2. Lobbyists
3. Senators being elected, not appointed
4. no term limits
5. massive budget which allows pork and special interest spending
Our politicians are bought and sold by interests that in many instances have nothing to do with the best interest of US citizens. As long as we have politicians focused on re-election and lining their pockets by contributions from bankers and wealthy citizens, we will never have a true republic.
The solution:
1. eliminate PACs
2. eliminate lobbying
3. appoint US senators via state legislatures
4. one term - term limits
5. balanced budget amendment- keep discretionary spending at bay and thus pork spending
They are beginning to, a recent poll I saw said that people are changing and that many voters that normally have a low opinion of politicians, but not their own, are now changing and beginning to get frustrated even with those they themselves voted into office, this very rare in the US. A Do Nothing government has that impact on People when it goes on long enough and it is looking like Americans are finally waking up. Things like big corporations giving huge amounts to politicians for their elections and the huge number of Lobby's subverting our Reps so that they ignore the will of the People in order to do the work of those with suitcases full of money needs to stop. If things continue for much longer this will get to a point where People could get disgusted enough to say to heck with the system and join together and tear it down, if their vote counts for nothing they would be in the right to do so. It would be a awful page in our History and who knows if what would replace it would be any better. From the tone of the Nation today I doubt the unity could be maintained and my guess is the United States would be a thing of history and several new Nations would emerge, some more Liberal and some more Conservative in nature. So if you love this Nation as being one united union then you better hope the way our government is run changes and soon, because if it does not it just a matter of time before enough people say enough is enough we are done with the experiment and the struggle will begin in deadly earnest.
I agree, but I look at it this way. If the voters didn't like what the lawmaker does for lobbyist, why would they not vote against them?
Its because we have to many single issue voters, abortion, gun control, whatever. **** on everything else, just my issue is important. I could do that with cannabis legalization, but I'm not, I look at the whole package.
I do think Lobbying should be restricted. I believe no former politician should be allowed to be a lobbyist also. But cutting that out completely, I disagree with.
I find that this article is pretty frightening. There definitely need to be laws mandating voting like there are in other countries. Voting holiday's should also be instated so American's can take time out to participate in their Republic. There is no Jeffersonian Democracy without the participation of the people.
Democracy is over: Americans have 'near-zero' impact on policy and laws; corporations dominate government actions Wednesday, August 20, 2014 by: J. D. Heyes
(NaturalNews) One of Americans' most cherished civil rights is also one of its most underused, which is a major reason why we are governed by some of the worst misfits and miscreants among us.
According to a startling new piece of research by a pair of political science professors, ordinary Americans have virtually no impact at all on the making of national policy. By contrast, reports The Hill, "The analysts found that rich individuals and business-controlled interest groups largely shape policy outcomes in the United States."
The study should serve as a crystal clear clarion call to the vast majority of Americans who are simply bypassed by a government that was supposed to be, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, "of the people, by the people, for the people" -- not "of the special interests and by the special interests."
In order to reclaim the promise of American-style republicanism and democracy, the pair warn, citizens must act positively and decisively to change the relationship between them and their elected leaders.
'Nearly no influence at all'
As noted by The Hill:
The new study, with the jaw-clenching title of "Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens," is forthcoming in the fall 2014 edition of Perspectives on Politics. Its authors, Martin Gilens of Princeton University and Benjamin Page of Northwestern University, examined survey data on 1,779 national policy issues for which they could gauge the preferences of average citizens, economic elites, mass-based interest groups and business-dominated interest groups. They used statistical methods to determine the influence of each of these four groups on policy outcomes, including both policies that are adopted and rejected.
They found that, when controlling for the power of financial elites and organized interest groups, the influence of ordinary Americans registered at a "non-significant, near-zero level."
The political scientists further noted that rich individuals and business-dominated interest groups vastly dominate the legislative and policy-making process. But the mass-based interest groups had minimal influence when compared to those who are business-related.
The study further debunks the belief that the policy preferences of business and the rich tend to reflect the views of ordinary Americans. The researchers found to the contrary, in fact; such preferences mostly sharply diverge, and when they do, which is often, the economic and business elites nearly always win the day and ordinary Americans lose.
The researchers also said that, given the limitations of tapping into the full-power elite in the country and their policy preferences, "the real world impact of elites upon public policy may be still greater" than even the study's alarming findings indicate.
The authors note:
Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence. The results provide substantial support for theories of Economic Elite Domination and for theories of Biased Pluralism, but not for theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy or Majoritarian Pluralism.
Americans are largely to blame - because they're not voting
The elite financial and business interests have the capacity to hire high-powered and expensive lobbying firms that are constant fixtures around lawmakers in D.C., as well as fill their campaign coffers.
But ordinary Americans are partly to blame for the dearth of influence, mostly because a sizeable portion of the electorate routinely chooses not to vote, the authors noted.
The Hill reported the abysmal voting figures:
America's turnout rate places us near the bottom of industrialized democracies. More than 90 million eligible Americans did not vote in the presidential election of 2012 and more than 120 million did not vote in the midterm elections of 2010.
The study's authors further found that ordinary citizens in increasing numbers over the past several decades have largely abandoned participation in grassroots movements -- like the Civil Rights and Women's Rights movements of the 1960s and 1970s -- as well.
"Without a substantial presence on the ground, people-oriented interest groups cannot compete against their wealthy adversaries," The Hill reported, citing the study's findings.
Simple answer is the poor choice voters make in who they choose to represent them. The voters' obtuse, disconnected choices reflect their lack of ethics. No one is holding a gun to the head of the only group that can pass legislation, not a stir is raised when it is crystal clear the legislators don't even read the legislation that they bind you to let alone have the capability to explain line by line what it is thay passed..
Because Pelosi still has a job after she said, 'we have to pass it to see what is in it", that is proof the electorate is overwhelmed and confused and cannot understand the basics of ethics, government and their civic responsibility.
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Democracy is over: Americans have 'near-zero' impact on policy and laws; corporations dominate government actions
