A questions for rich Americans: Why do you want to grind working folks under

[Newest Reality]

31. Yes,

I think most of our problems are multifaceted, though. This is a complex world now.

I have been revisiting the Enlightenment period a little and it is interesting and noteworthy in relation to our current situation. You can't say that everything that was going on then is still relevant, but the patterns, structures, arguments and outcomes are relevant.

The most important thing to stress in our attempt at democracy is the common good should equal the common will, no matter how difficult that is to enforce and preserve. A government should, at its best, reflect the unity of the people. However, that requires the people to find unity or common ground and, with vigilance, knowledge and reason, respond.

When people wonder what we can do or what are the solutions, the best advice is to find out more and stick to that. As you add more to your knowledge about, in this case, political science or our history, you find yourself thinking in more complex ways about it and avoid the opinionated, media-driven, superficial soundbite approach that is self-defeating. That then leads you like a compass down new and different avenues and makes you a more vigilant and resilient citizen.

All of that applies to our problems with a dangerously rapid and increasing inequity. I would say that both fundamentalism and the wealth of Oligarchs are not only not compatible with democracy, they are its current enemies in every sense.