Is America An Oligarchy?

[4588686]

From the Dept. of Academics Confirming Something You Already Suspected comes a new study concluding that rich people and organizations representing business interests have a powerful grip on U.S. government policy. After examining differences in public opinion across income groups on a wide variety of issues, the political scientists Martin Gilens, of Princeton, and Benjamin Page, of Northwestern, found that the preferences of rich people had a much bigger impact on subsequent policy decisions than the views of middle-income and poor Americans. Indeed, the opinions of lower-income groups, and the interest groups that represent them, appear to have little or no independent impact on policy.

 

Read More:

 

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2014/04/is-america-an-oligarchy.html

[PhuturePriest]

Yes.

 

If the theory that when rich peoples' cups of wealth overflow it will fall onto the poor is true, why is it that America is number 1 in billionaires and yet still has a shrinking middle class and a growing lower class?

Edited May 2, 2014 by FuturePriest387

[CrossCuT]

Yes.

 

But dont worry, money = freedom of speech. Nothing bad can happen.

[4588686]

Yes.

 

If the theory that when rich peoples' cups of wealth overflow it will fall onto the poor is true, why is it that America is number 1 in billionaires and yet still has a shrinking middle class and a growing lower class?

 

 

Hey there, what a great question.  

[4588686]

Yes.

 

But dont worry, money = freedom of speech. Nothing bad can happen.

 

 

 

Well, there is a speech component to giving money to institutions.  I think there should be a major restructuring of the campaign process though.  

[CrossCuT]

Yes.

 

If the theory that when rich peoples' cups of wealth overflow it will fall onto the poor is true, why is it that America is number 1 in billionaires and yet still has a shrinking middle class and a growing lower class?

 

You are very right FP. However not only is this NOT happening, but the wealthiest of the nation are slowly taking more and more power by using their incredible wealth.

 

They have even convinced the narrow minded masses that the POOR are the reason things are so bad. BAHAHAHAHA! The poor just mooch the system. Lulz. The reality is that the middle class is shrinking and there is less and less money going through the system because its being held hostage by the billionaires and corporate queens. So yeah....we might need to start cutting programs because the people that are taxed the MOST in the country literally have no money left. While the rich not only evade taxes but they cry about how they need to be taxed less. Therefore there is a shortage of cash to fund these programs....

[Credo in Deum]

Yes.

 

If the theory that when rich peoples' cups of wealth overflow it will fall onto the poor is true, why is it that America is number 1 in billionaires and yet still has a shrinking middle class and a growing lower class?

 

Probably because no one asked; how big are the cups?

 

One thing is for sure. Their cups make great shelters. 

Edited May 2, 2014 by Credo in Deum

[PhuturePriest]

Probably because no one asked; how big are the cups?

 

One thing is for sure. Their cups make great shelters. 

 

As Pope Francis said, people say wealth will overflow, but the issue is the cups get bigger and bigger, and it never allows the wealth to overflow.

[CrossCuT]

As Pope Francis said, people say wealth will overflow, but the issue is the cups get bigger and bigger, and it never allows the wealth to overflow.

 

The Pope is a marxist. Dont listen to him

[Credo in Deum]

As Pope Francis said, people say wealth will overflow, but the issue is the cups get bigger and bigger, and it never allows the wealth to overflow.

 

A cup that never overflows?!

 

.  

 

 

Such a cup would be worth millions!

Edited May 2, 2014 by Credo in Deum

[RC Patriot]

Would it be too obvious to ask who these billionaires controlling the political processes are?

Is it George Soros, who donates millions to elect Nanny Pelosi, Planned Parenthood, and MoveOn.org?

Is it the Koch brothers, who help fund education and free enterprise?

Or Michael Bloomberg, personally funding and directing every effort to strip Americans of their 2nd Amendment rights?

 

Money only buys votes if you let it.

 

Forgive me if I ask stupid questions, but is the middle class getting smaller? Since when? What happened in the world that could contribute to that?

 

So many questions... What is money, and where does it come from? If I buy an iPad, is my life enriched? Where does that $400 go? Who builds those things, anyway? If no one was rich enough to buy jumbo jets, how long would I be able to work for a company that builds them? Geez... then where would I get the money for that iPad, anyway? What is money, and where does it come from?

 

....What is money, and where does it come from?

[4588686]

Would it be too obvious to ask who these billionaires controlling the political processes are?
Is it George Soros, who donates millions to elect Nanny Pelosi, Planned Parenthood, and MoveOn.org?
Is it the Koch brothers, who help fund education and free enterprise?
Or Michael Bloomberg, personally funding and directing every effort to strip Americans of their 2nd Amendment rights?

Money only buys votes if you let it.

Forgive me if I ask stupid questions, but is the middle class getting smaller? Since when? What happened in the world that could contribute to that?

So many questions... What is money, and where does it come from? If I buy an iPad, is my life enriched? Where does that $400 go? Who builds those things, anyway? If no one was rich enough to buy jumbo jets, how long would I be able to work for a company that builds them? Geez... then where would I get the money for that iPad, anyway? What is money, and where does it come from?

....What is money, and where does it come from?

The Koch brothers don't find education and free enterprise. The fund political systems.


One thing I think people really don't understand is that campaign are really one aspect to tr political process

[CrossCuT]

There is a documentary dedicated to basically how horrible the Koch brothers are. 

[Vitamin]

Proposed slogan for the GOP: Always Kocha-Kola.

[RC Patriot]

There is a documentary dedicated to basically how horrible the Koch brothers are. 

 

Right... directed by Robert Greenwald, native New Yorker, winner of awards from the esteemed NAACP and the ACLU. If anyone can write a documentary to advance "Progressive" causes, it would be him. Move over, Michael Moore.

 

I look directly at the public sources and see their contributions. I like what the Cato Institute, the Heritage Foundation, and the Museum of Natural History contribute to society. Someone has to fund them.

 

Why am I not surprised that out of all of that, both you and Hasan challenge the Koch bros statement, and ignore everything else? As if George Soros and Bloomberg are up for canonization... C'mon...