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I don’t think it’s a murky as some make it out to be.
Those who funnel massive sums of money into the political machine via lobbying, donations, etc are the ones calling the shots.
+1 to this.
The title of the question is somewhat misleading. It's hard to name the people, when Citizen's United basically said that corporations are people.
As Mirage said, anyone funneling massive dollars are the ones calling the shots. That money is needed to get elected, and therefore they really "own" the system and call the shots.
Over the years, I have come across people on this forum and elsewhere claiming that a certain small, privileged group owns America or rules America and have rigged the game for everybody else. Some people say it's the top 1% or the top .001% or maybe just a few hundred individuals or families, high-ranking politicians, business leaders, etc.
So, I am wondering - What is your view on this? Please discuss and feel free to share any sites that you like.
It changes - but basically anyone with the money these days. That ends up being saudis and chinese right now, but many other countries own vast amounts of land , companies and other parts of "America".....
Basically, anyone who wants to buy large parts of it...can. That is what Capitalism is. The theory of Capitalism doesn't say "Foreign Capital can't buy American land, resources, factories, buildings, roads, bridges, etc.".
In fact, it says "Please buy them".
So, no...not any particular families, although some (Kochs, etc.) have injected themselves in politics at every level. They have started orgs that write the legislation that is then passed by cities and states and even the Federal Government.
So that's quite a bit of ownership.
I was talking to a major VC about an "American" company that was gonna to show the Chinese up by building a better gadget of a certain type. The product failed big (frankly, due to American Hubris), but the VC told me who the investors that lost out were.......Asians!
Vast parts of America are owned by others. Remember back soon after 9/11 GWB wanted to sell many of our major port facilities to Dubai...to run our ports!
Don't think the same isn't true with many other countries and important parts of our infrastructure.
Over the years, I have come across people on this forum and elsewhere claiming that a certain small, privileged group owns America or rules America and have rigged the game for everybody else. Some people say it's the top 1% or the top .001% or maybe just a few hundred individuals or families, high-ranking politicians, business leaders, etc.
So, I am wondering - What is your view on this? Please discuss and feel free to share any sites that you like.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mirage98de
I don’t think it’s a murky as some make it out to be.
Those who funnel massive sums of money into the political machine via lobbying, donations, etc are the ones calling the shots.
Basically what Mirage says.
I once read a book called "The Power Broker" by Robert Caro. It basically tells how Robert Moses, the New York State master builder, was able to get things done by alternating between awarding politicians who did what he wanted or punishing politicians who did not. More surprisingly, it also covers how he was able to get favorable coverage from the New York media by essentially bribing certain journalists with VIP treatment for decades.
That last part, the media is big part of the problem. We tend to think of journalists as free and independent and some indeed are. But far to many of them seem to follow their leaders like lemmings, they know their jobs depend on it. That is why we might get massive coverage on an issue ad nauseum while other issues are ignored entirely.
People forget that the media is owned by corporations and wealthy individuals, who for instance want open borders. That is why the media lackeys will cover illegal immigration with endless sob stories about "undocumented workers" and separated families while never showing a more balanced view of illegal aliens, for instance that some of them are criminals.
Over the years, I have come across people on this forum and elsewhere claiming that a certain small, privileged group owns America or rules America and have rigged the game for everybody else. Some people say it's the top 1% or the top .001% or maybe just a few hundred individuals or families, high-ranking politicians, business leaders, etc.
So, I am wondering - What is your view on this? Please discuss and feel free to share any sites that you like.
In practice, Constitutionally, the PEOPLE own the US. America isn't exactly a correct premise. Canada and Mexico, central and south Americans are all Americans.
In reality, we have moved to the industrial military complex that Eisenhower warned us of. Social and mainstream media are now a part of that complex. They may not own us but they certainly divide and steer us.
Your question is broad with too many facets to contend with to get a realistic answer. It would take a book to come to any factual conclusion and even that wouldn't suffice.
In a nutshell, the government has become an oligarchy which is owned by international interests, global interests if you will, and multi-national corporations. The UN has a say in what we US citizens can and can't do.
As long as the Constitution is in place, which may not be much longer, we can live under the guise that the US is still controlled by "We the People".
60+ Million people voted for Trump, the other 60+ Million people decided they wouldn't accept it. For the first time in history, there was no peaceful transfer of power.
We are at a tipping point of throwing the greatest country in history into the dumpster.
Last edited by Originalist; 05-29-2019 at 06:20 PM..
A small time drug dealer = 10 to 20 years of hard time. Especially if black
A large pharmaceutical corporation that bribes doctors into giving their patients highly addict painkillers that kicks off a massive drug epidemic = 0 jail time
These are the folks who own and run America. Large corporations and a handful of billionaires. The rest of us are the 21st century version of peasants.
In practice, Constitutionally, the PEOPLE own the US. America isn't exactly a correct premise. Canada and Mexico, central and south Americans are all Americans.
In reality, we have moved to the industrial military complex that Eisenhower warned us of. Social and mainstream media are now a part of that complex. They may not own us but they certainly divide and steer us.
Your question is broad with many too facets to contend with to get a realistic answer. It would take a book to come to any factual conclusion and even that wouldn't suffice.
In a nutshell, the government has become an oligarchy which is owned by international interests, global interests if you will, and multi-national corporations. The UN has a say in what we US citizens can and can't do.
As long as the Constitution is in place, which may not be much longer, we can live under the guise that the US is still controlled by "We the People".
60+ Million people voted for Trump, the other 60+ Million people decided they wouldn't accept it. For the first time in history, there was no peaceful transfer of power.
We are at a tipping point of throwing the greatest country in history into the dumpster.
There nothing to the statements of the 60 million who do not accept mr T. Who cares ? Not seen anyone change anything in this country over the dislike of one prez . Military still serving and dying - police still patrol - firefighters still put out flames and Drs n nurses still save lives and the rest of us still show up at 8 am to work. Only ones made any moves are ambassadors or political figures who refused to stick with the guy . The USA will survive this valley.
Last edited by tinytrump; 05-29-2019 at 06:31 PM..
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