Unrivaled Hypocrisy of the US Political Class

[Ethereal]

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...b0dc592a09697c

Ryan sure makes out well.

That doesn't really have anything to do with the thread. The Kochs are private citizens and Americans, not members of a foreign government.

[Ethereal]

Except with Trump. He's doing the work of tearing down the confidence in our media, which was never blind, and in the independence of the FBI and DOJ. We have a foreign governemnt which seems from all his actions to be controlling the decisions made by the president of the US.

Trump was elected in large part because Americans had no confidence in the mainstream media to begin with, and the FBI and DOJ have been used as political weapons for as long as they have existed. In any case, I don't see what this has to do with the point I brought up in the OP. Even if Trump is somehow "colluding" with Russia, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary. Virtually every politician in Washington DC is being strongly influenced by foreign powers.

[midcan5]

The 'US Political Class' a new bogeyman, who are they I wonder, name names, you got any? It sounds like you are referring to the republican party today? I agree with you in a certain sense, but I'm not sure it is so simple to label or even define. I often think of this Alex Carey quote, "The 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy." The great depression created what is called the welfare state, I wouldn't use that word but it has helped to transform democracy into a plutocratic oligarchy or some word like that. lol


These books tell the story:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...nvisible-hands
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27833494-dark-money
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...their-own-land



"Not only does there seem to be widespread social fragmentation and disillusionment with democracy in the United States, but the possibility of reversing this sense of alienation appears to many of us to be already lost. Any democratic president who wants to institute the desperately needed reforms in health, welfare and the environment faces one of two options. He can stick by his reform program and suffer a loss of public confidence through orchestrated campaigns to publicly portray him as 'too liberal' and ineffectual (the Carter image) or too indecisive or sexually indiscreet (the Clinton image). Alternatively, a reforming democratic president can move further to the Right, forget his promises and become part of the propaganda campaign. Given the history of democratic propaganda in the United States, some of us doubt that another Roosevelt or New Deal is possible. The political system is now so attuned to business interests that this kind of reformer could no longer institute the substantial health, welfare, education, environmental and employment reforms the country needs." Andrew Lohrey, Introduction, Alex Carey "Taking the Risk Out of Democracy"

[Mister D]

The 'US Political Class' a new bogeyman, who are they I wonder, name names, you got any? It sounds like you are referring to the republican party today? I agree with you in a certain sense, but I'm not sure it is so simple to label or even define. I often think of this Alex Carey quote, "The 20th century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: The growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy." The great depression created what is called the welfare state, I wouldn't use that word but it has worked to transform democracy into plutocratic oligarchy or some word like that. lol


These books tell the story:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/...nvisible-hands
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27833494-dark-money
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...their-own-land



"Not only does there seem to be widespread social fragmentation and disillusionment with democracy in the United States, but the possibility of reversing this sense of alienation appears to many of us to be already lost. Any democratic president who wants to institute the desperately needed reforms in health, welfare and the environment faces one of two options. He can stick by his reform program and suffer a loss of public confidence through orchestrated campaigns to publicly portray him as 'too liberal' and ineffectual (the Carter image) or too indecisive or sexually indiscreet (the Clinton image). Alternatively, a reforming democratic president can move further to the Right, forget his promises and become part of the propaganda campaign. Given the history of democratic propaganda in the United States, some of us doubt that another Roosevelt or New Deal is possible. The political system is now so attuned to business interests that this kind of reformer could no longer institute the substantial health, welfare, education, environmental and employment reforms the country needs." Andrew Lohrey, Introduction, Alex Carey "Taking the Risk Out of Democracy"

Has Hillary Clinton avatar. Asks what the political class refers to and even asks for names. LOL

[Tahuyaman]

Except with Trump. He's doing the work of tearing down the confidence in our media, which was never blind, and in the independence of the FBI and DOJ. We have a foreign governemnt which seems from all his actions to be controlling the decisions made by the president of the US.

The media has destroyed their own credibility with the American people. . They have aided and abetted the corruption of the political establishment and our supposed most trusted government institutions. Trump simply publicly states what every informed person already knew. Even you if you could be honest for once.

[Mini Me]

The KOCH agenda is in full bloom, and has hijacked the Trump presidency. They run most of the Stink tanks that Rethugs get their marching orders from. Pure corporatist hackery, and out to destroy democracy as we know it!

[Captdon]

The biggest threat to American democracy is from within. The US political class use foreign bogeymen as distractions and paths towards personal enrichment.

The American democracy is under any threat. It is alive and well. If there was a threat, Trump wouldn't be president would he? Being a cynic must be hard to keep up. You use good arguments that don't add up.

[MisterVeritis]

The KOCH agenda is in full bloom, and has hijacked the Trump presidency. They run most of the Stink tanks that Rethugs get their marching orders from. Pure corporatist hackery, and out to destroy democracy as we know it!

What is the Koch agenda? Please use your own words.
What are Stink tanks?
What are Rethugs?
What country operates as a democracy?

[Mini Me]

What is the Koch agenda? Please use your own words.
What are Stink tanks?
What are Rethugs?
What country operates as a democracy?

I can't teach you these things, you wouldn't believe me if I told you.
Google is your friend!

[Ethereal]

The American democracy is under any threat. It is alive and well. If there was a threat, Trump wouldn't be president would he? Being a cynic must be hard to keep up. You use good arguments that don't add up.

Yea, democracy is in such good shape that Donald Trump got elected president. Who can argue with that.

Anyway, even if you believe Trump is an example of democracy winning, just look at how the establishment has reacted to him winning. They are basically trying to overthrow him through a soft coup. Not very democratic, is it?