It was nice while the illusion lasted:
A new study from Princeton spells bad news for American democracy—namely, that it no longer exists.
Asking “Who really rules?” researchers Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page argue that over the past few decades America’s political system has slowly transformed from a democracy into an oligarchy, where wealthy elites wield most power.
Using data drawn from over 1,800 different policy initiatives from 1981 to 2002, the two conclude that rich, well-connected individuals on the political scene now steer the direction of the country, regardless of or even against the will of the majority of voters.
“The central point that emerges from our research is that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy,” they write, “while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence.”
That “substantial independent impact” can be most easily seen in our schizophrenic foreign policy. First we were told that it was a “humanitarian mission” to save the lives of a bunch of Christians in Iraq. Mission accomplished. Then we needed to save a dam. Mission accomplished. Today we’re trying to dislodge ISIS from Tikrit. So ISIS chopped a reporters head off in a peak of anger. What’s Obama’s next move? To ask Assad if we can bomb ISIS in Syria? Has Saudi Arabia apologized yet for funding ISIS from the beginning? Are McCain and Hillary sorry that they backed ISIS and posed for photo’s standing along side ISIS in Syria? Princeton has now proven to us who actually runs this insane asylum. And it ain’t the 99%
This report is only the most recent. And notice all the play it’s receiving in the ‘media.’ Nothing will change until Ferguson is repeated in every city and town in the nation.