that we have united oligarchy now, not divided democracy.

use our brains. That takes a lot of nerve. I think that if everyone declared tomorrow that they were all Democrats (you of course know there is no ideological test) that everything would be just swell.

If you would just understand that the Oligarchy knows best and just go with it. But nooooo you want to say that it's a scam and upset the serenity of denial.

The definition of democracy is: "If some people get to vote, bingo-bango, you got yourself a democracy".

Tax reform is the usual solution, but how with the GOP owning the media and use lying as their primary defence?

We have to stop playing their game. We have to reject Clinton even if she is better than Jeb. If we can't get a decent candidate we need to revolt. Playing the status quo game, using the rationalization that it's better than hell, is what is killing this country.

left, not Bernie Saunders territory, but into Warren territory, taking the presumptive next
President of our party, with her?

Change is incremental, it took 70 years for the French Revolution to shake out, the folks like Obama's policies, and are growing warmer to him as the economy warms, it is happening, and to demote Obama in any way now for the next two years is not looking at the big picture in these two years.

Picture President Cruz or Bush.

cheap seats.

we'll continue to see more disintegration.

This study covered a period before Citizens United so we were already in the ditch by the time Citizens United rolled around.

We have an uphill battle, it's as if we need a slogan for all Americans
to get behind that do not profit in one way or another from lobby money that is funneled
into the system.

Elections! Let's attack the 1% ability to buy and control our government!

white males are no longer a majority of the voters. They will continue to hold control any way they can. Voter restrictions, economic inequality, out sourcing of jobs, destroying public education, police brutality, etc.

they generally do not get it," Does anyone doubt the complicity of the corporate media, and we wonder why citizens don't bother to vote?

And so many people around me are as though hypnotized. The citizens of Illinois may think they voted for raising the minimum wage, but in reality they voted in a governor who is opposed to it and determined to serve the interests of the elitist newfeudalistic corporations.

Hey marmar, I've been treating myself to re-reading all of Raymond Chandler, and through his books I can see that nothing is new. All of the same shit was going on back in the 40's. How far back do we go to trace the downfall? Is it just plain old dumb human nature?

"One nation, under gold, divided into two classes, with liberty for the rich and criminal justice for the poor."

In private schools, students will recite the pledge with one hand over their cold, cold hearts, but in public schools, students will recite it with both hands raised.

Don't like the cold hearts though.

that in Ayn Rand 101.

Last edited Sat Jan 17, 2015, 06:55 PM - Edit history (1)

I had just never seen it put in the "cold heart" construct. I prefer the liars cheats and thieves construct, not applied to the kids, but rather the private schools. It's only about money, even at some private schools where they have a outrageously strict honor code, the administration will not hold themselves to the same honor code they demand of students.

I wonder what the private school versus public school breakdown is of legislators? I wonder if it's significantly skewed off from the statistics for the general public?

Perhaps being exposed to too many liars cheats and thieves makes for cold hearts.

blast 50 million people a week with lies and distortions, and democracy-loving americans ignore that fact.

and then some!

That's the difference between the parties in Washington. Centre Right vs Hard Right.

Why on Earth would a politician set aside personal ambition and act in the interest of the common good when it's so much easier (and profitable) to just please a few oligarchs that fund his/her campaigns?

I believe a lot of us knew democracy was dead and oligarchy was alive.

But it's good to have an institution like Princeton confirm it.

Democracy is a fairy tale taught in grade school.

coup d'etat happened and gore said let's move forward, democracy died. No fight, no real challenge, just something that looked good with no substance, no resolve behind it. Don't put it all on Obama, that is not the truth.

IIRC the data used in the study was from 1980 to 2000 or so.

Most Americans, the electorate, get most of their information from TV.

Only political office holders can command the air time necessary to inform the public.

The public needs to understand that the democracy is no longer functioning properly.

I am serious.

more attention will stimulate more people to try to do something about it.

we need a Duh Forum.

I read their asinine statement and dixiecrat justifications on a myriad of subjects, political, cultural, racial.........here....quite regularly.

Explains the kabuki and why the rich keep getting richer.