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The Great American Class War: Plutocracy Versus Democracy
December 13, 2013
by Bill Moyers
The Donor Class and Streams of Dark Money
The historian Plutarch warned us long ago of what happens when there is no brake on the power of great wealth to subvert the electorate. The abuse of buying and selling votes, he wrote of Rome, crept in and money began to play an important part in determining elections. Later on, this process of corruption spread in the law courts and to the army, and finally, when even the sword became enslaved by the power of gold, the republic was subjected to the rule of emperors.
We dont have emperors yet, but we do have the Roberts Court that consistently privileges the donor class.
We dont have emperors yet, but we do have a Senate in which, as a study by the political scientist Larry Bartels reveals, Senators appear to be considerably more responsive to the opinions of affluent constituents than to the opinions of middle-class constituents, while the opinions of constituents in the bottom third of the income distribution have no apparent statistical effect on their senators roll call votes.
We dont have emperors yet, but we have a House of Representatives controlled by the far right that is now nourished by streams of dark money unleashed thanks to the gift bestowed on the rich by the Supreme Court in the Citizens United case.
We dont have emperors yet, but one of our two major parties is now dominated by radicals engaged in a crusade of voter suppression aimed at the elderly, the young, minorities and the poor; while the other party, once the champion of everyday working people, has been so enfeebled by its own collaboration with the donor class that it offers only token resistance to the forces that have demoralized everyday Americans.
(snip)
http://billmoyers.com/2013/12/13/the-great-american-class-war-plutocracy-versus-democracy/
This is a good read.
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The Great American Class War: Plutocracy Versus Democracy (Original Post)
Uncle Joe
Oct 2015
OP
Demeter
(85,373 posts)1. Another gem. Thanks, Uncle Joe
I'm not getting any housework done this way....
Uncle Joe
(58,417 posts)2. Thank you, Demeter
and don't worry about the housework that's what tomorrow is for.
I was supposed to do laundry this morning, I believe I will be doing it tonight instead.