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Irregardless of their political affiliation American politicians are the hand puppets of the ultra rich. The only time they even try to project the idea that they represents the people is at election time with their lies and deceit. The rest of their year is spent seeing who can fill their pockets with cash.
Extreme inequality and subversion of our democratic institutions by a tiny oligarchy.
Why is inequality a problem? The per-capita GDP of Luxembourg is nearly twice that of the United States. Is that a problem? Does it need to be solved?
Inequality only matters when it comes to people you can actually see. The people you live with. I could care less if some Japanese or Mexican guy is rich. But why? Shouldn't I be just as upset at a Chinese billionaire as I am an American billionaire? Why does inequality actually matter?
Almost all of the problems with inequality have to do with power. Why do I care so much if some guy who lives 1,500 miles from me in New York City is a billionaire? Mostly because I assume that he is using his wealth in a way that harms me.
As you said, he is using his wealth to control the political-institutions in this country, often at my expense.
And it is pointless to talk about "democratic institutions". What problems does democracy solve? And show me a democracy anywhere in the world where "the people" are in power. Before Hitler's rise to power, Germany had been a democracy, called the Weimar Republic. Were the people in power there? If so, how did it become a dictatorship?
Are the people in power in England? Or France? Or Russia? Or dare I say, Sweden? You don't think the billionaires aren't using the same methods they use in America to control the entire world?
The last election was a choice between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Is that democracy? What does democracy have to do with anything? And why is democracy even a good thing? Do you think the 51% are wiser than the 49%?
Do you think the elites of England care whatsoever about democracy? Do you know what the European Union actually thinks of democracy?
Democracy is useful only when it aligns with what "the elites" want. It is a bludgeon to use against those who resist their power. Democracy is never really democracy, and it was never intended to be, and for good reason.
The common people are morons, who are easily manipulated by well-financed media companies and other special-interests, and are brainwashed through government education.
Look at this forum, it is full of know-nothings who just repeat what other people say and imagine themselves geniuses.
I don't know what the solution is, but handing more money and power to AOC is definitely not the answer to anything.
She thinks she’s uncovering some secret that Americans don’t already know, Lol.
Alot of Americans are still, even after 911, oblivious to the corruption in Washington. Trump s just flagrant about it. The quality, if you will, of the current criminal administration is more gutter than previous ones. Autocracy has been in The works for a long time. The Bush Family tried and failed by Jeb. Trump may try to ram Jr. down.everyones throat. Or Ivanka.
Alot of Americans are still, even after 911, oblivious to the corruption in Washington. Trump s just flagrant about it. The quality, if you will, of the current criminal administration is more gutter than previous ones. Autocracy has been in The works for a long time. The Bush Family tried and failed by Jeb. Trump may try to ram Jr. down.everyones throat. Or Ivanka.
You failed to mention Hillary in your accusations of attempted autocracy. Why is that?
So you are fine with the super rich bribing your elected officials and laughing in your face as you defend them?
Yeah, they cling to their 1 in a billion chance of winning the lottery and getting to thumb their nose at their neighbors when they get to stop paying taxes?
You failed to mention Hillary in your accusations of attempted autocracy. Why is that?
Hillary, Trump, whats the difference, no difference.
They are all on the same team.
They wine and dine together, laugh together.
At the end of the meal, they go home.
Laughing all the way to the bank.
Contrast that with the partisan hacks in our society that would not eat with another partisan hack and would probably prefer to shoot them in the head.
When this country started, only male LAND OWNERS were allowed to vote. Why should people with no skin in this country get a choice?
When this country started, most of the continent was still a frontier and land was available to anyone who wanted it and could make a go of living off it for next to nothing or even free. The reduced availability of land and higher costs today isn't the same reality our ancestors knew.
When this country started, most of the continent was still a frontier and land was available to anyone who wanted it and could make a go of living off it for next to nothing or even free. The reduced availability of land and higher costs today isn't the same reality our ancestors knew.
Exactly
Open up the federal lands for the poor ONLY and you would get many takers.
Then they would complain about the conditions they are living in and want to place rules and regulations on them so that acme corp could make bank to put in plumbing and a well and so on.
Then when they cannot pay, they would call them deadbeats, reclaim the land and send them off to debtors prison.
Also, at the founding of this country, home owners did not trickle down the costs to consumers like big business does.
Everyone pays taxes if you purchase anything today.
So you are fine with the super rich bribing your elected officials and laughing in your face as you defend them?
Clearly I didn't say that, nor do I envision what you are suggesting.
However whether it be the "super rich individuals" having influence (as they have always had to one degree or another), large corporations, large unions, large lobbying groups (like ABA, Planned Parenthood or the Chamber of Commerce), it would be naive to think big money does not and has not always had some degree of influence on politics, in this country and others.
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