Moyers: Dividing the Spoils
This is an incredibly good read, unpacking the profundity of how far the USA has fallen, from any semblance of genuine "democracy", into an ugly corporate-driven full-on Oligarchy, and then explores a number of implications and nuances.
Here's the deal: "From 2007 to 2012, the two hundred most politically active corporations in the United States spent almost $6 billion for lobbying and campaign contributions. And they received more than $4 trillion in US government contracts and other forms of assistance. That’s $760 for every dollar spent on influence, a stunning return on investment."
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/27599-dividing-the-spoils
For me personally, I both love and hate knowing about this, I love it because I'd rather know than not-know as a principle; but damn, I hate knowing that we have all been so thoroughly "had" by such a pitiful handful of exceedingly greedy money grubbers.
This graphic pretty much sums-up for me the brutal irony of it all, how these Oligarchs routinely
"hire 1/2 the workers to oppress and/or kill the other half" <-- quote (paraphrased)
~Jay Gould, 19th Century railroad tycoon's stated strategy to kill unions.
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The only way to change this ISN'T by voting.
Its to raise awareness & work to get $$$ OUT OF POLITICS.
Here's an interesting side note of their inner world~
Destinations include Napa Valley in California for wine tasting, Wyoming for fly fishing and any number of spas, golf courses, even exclusive hunting trips.
They are invited to these weekend retreats by members of Congress and their political action committees.
The cost of accepting the invite is a political donation of anywhere from $1,500 to $5,000. And that doesn't include the cost of travel and lodging at some of the most posh resorts in the United States....
It used to be that lobbyists would take politicians on trips, but when rules were changed and that was outlawed, politicians and their fund-raisers came up with this variation -- organize the trips and invite the lobbyists along to pay for them.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/29/politics/politicians-play-lobbyists-pay/
