Does Anyone Really Doubt...

[Ethereal]

...that the US political system is an oligarchy?

I know that in theory the US political system is a republic, but is that what it is in actual practice?

Do you actually feel like the average American is in control of the US political system?

Personally, I am shocked that anyone would deny this or try to downplay its severity. Upon examination of the available evidence, the oligarchic nature of the US political system becomes incredibly obvious. Just as one example out of many, consider the last budget bill passed by the Congress. Nobody even read the entire thing. Only one Senator (Rand Paul) even made a real effort to read it or inform Americans of what was in it, and he's considered a "radical" and "trouble-maker" as a result. And like virtually every other big bill that comes out of Congress, that bill was heavily crafted by corporate lobbyists. There are MANY, MANY, MANY examples of this kind of thing happening. In fact, that example is rather pedestrian in terms of its severity. Just consider the big lie that was the war in Iraq. It would have NEVER occurred to the average American to invade and occupy Iraq in response to 9/11. They had to be swindled into it by the political class and the corporate media. And as everyone knows, it was one of the worst disasters in history. But lots of people got insanely rich because of it. Stocks for big banks and military contractors have all done very well since 9/11. Oh, except that one time when big banks crashed the economy with greedy speculation. Bank stocks didn't do too well back then. But no worries, because the US government was ready to shovel mountains of taxpayer money at them. Clearly what the average American wanted to happen, right? If I think hard enough, I can remember the populist cries in the street, "Bail out the big banks with our money!" Ah, sweet American "democracy" triumphs again. Okay, I'm done...

[ripmeister]

...that the US political system is an oligarchy?

I know that in theory the US political system is a republic, but is that what it is in actual practice?

Do you actually feel like the average American is in control of the US political system?

Personally, I am shocked that anyone would deny this or try to downplay its severity. Upon examination of the available evidence, the oligarchic nature of the US political system becomes incredibly obvious. Just as one example out of many, consider the last budget bill passed by the Congress. Nobody even read the entire thing. Only one Senator (Rand Paul) even made a real effort to read it or inform Americans of what was in it, and he's considered a "radical" and "trouble-maker" as a result. And like virtually every other big bill that comes out of Congress, that bill was heavily crafted by corporate lobbyists. There are MANY, MANY, MANY examples of this kind of thing happening. In fact, that example is rather pedestrian in terms of its severity. Just consider the big lie that was the war in Iraq. It would have NEVER occurred to the average American to invade and occupy Iraq in response to 9/11. They had to be swindled into it by the political class and the corporate media. And as everyone knows, it was one of the worst disasters in history. But lots of people got insanely rich because of it. Stocks for big banks and military contractors have all done very well since 9/11. Oh, except that one time when big banks crashed the economy with greedy speculation. Bank stocks didn't do too well back then. But no worries, because the US government was ready to shovel mountains of taxpayer money at them. Clearly what the average American wanted to happen, right? If I think hard enough, I can remember the populist cries in the street, "Bail out the big banks with our money!" Ah, sweet American "democracy" triumphs again. Okay, I'm done...

I'd agree with you on much of this although I think the bank bailout, while distasteful, was necessary with the US being the last lender of resort. The alternative potential meltdown of the entire economy was too big a risk to take. I think Eisenhower pretty much had it right.

[Peter1469]

I'd agree with you on much of this although I think the bank bailout, while distasteful, was necessary with the US being the last lender of resort. The alternative potential meltdown of the entire economy was too big a risk to take. I think Eisenhower pretty much had it right.

We could have bailed citizens out and let the banks fail.

[MisterVeritis]

We retain merely the outward shell of a Constitutional Republic. It is time to move on.

[Crepitus]

...that the US political system is an oligarchy?

I know that in theory the US political system is a republic, but is that what it is in actual practice?

Do you actually feel like the average American is in control of the US political system?

Personally, I am shocked that anyone would deny this or try to downplay its severity. Upon examination of the available evidence, the oligarchic nature of the US political system becomes incredibly obvious. Just as one example out of many, consider the last budget bill passed by the Congress. Nobody even read the entire thing. Only one Senator (Rand Paul) even made a real effort to read it or inform Americans of what was in it, and he's considered a "radical" and "trouble-maker" as a result. And like virtually every other big bill that comes out of Congress, that bill was heavily crafted by corporate lobbyists. There are MANY, MANY, MANY examples of this kind of thing happening. In fact, that example is rather pedestrian in terms of its severity. Just consider the big lie that was the war in Iraq. It would have NEVER occurred to the average American to invade and occupy Iraq in response to 9/11. They had to be swindled into it by the political class and the corporate media. And as everyone knows, it was one of the worst disasters in history. But lots of people got insanely rich because of it. Stocks for big banks and military contractors have all done very well since 9/11. Oh, except that one time when big banks crashed the economy with greedy speculation. Bank stocks didn't do too well back then. But no worries, because the US government was ready to shovel mountains of taxpayer money at them. Clearly what the average American wanted to happen, right? If I think hard enough, I can remember the populist cries in the street, "Bail out the big banks with our money!" Ah, sweet American "democracy" triumphs again. Okay, I'm done...

I actually agree with most of that. Money and the people with it are far too influencial in our government.

[ripmeister]

We could have bailed citizens out and let the banks fail.

Not sure about the efficacy of that approach.

[ripmeister]

I actually agree with most of that. Money and the people with it are far too influencial in our government.

Show me the money. This is the problem IMO. Understanding the 1st amendment issues we need to have public financing of elections IMO.

[MMC]

Ah....Ethereal will find a way to keep dumping on the US.

Soon he will have everybody believing they shouldn't even vote.

[rcfieldz]

I think Americans like the overall path that it is on. And is reflected in it's voting. Things change when they need to and things don't change overnight.

[MMC]

We retain merely the outward shell of a Constitutional Republic. It is time to move on.

Should that move be to Dictatorship or Constitutional Monarchy?