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Princeton study: U.S. is an oligarchy
Posted on 4/16/14 at 9:36 am
Posted on 4/16/14 at 9:36 am
https://www.businessinsider.com/major-study-finds-that-the-us-is-an-oligarchy-2014-4
quote:
The US government does not represent the interests of the majority of the country's citizens, but is instead ruled by those of the rich and powerful, a new study from Princeton and Northwestern Universities has concluded.
The report, entitled Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens, used extensive policy data collected from between the years of 1981 and 2002 to empirically determine the state of the US political system.
After sifting through nearly 1,800 US policies enacted in that period and comparing them to the expressed preferences of average Americans (50th percentile of income), affluent Americans (90th percentile) and large special interests groups, researchers concluded that the United States is dominated by its economic elite.
The peer-reviewed study, which will be taught at these universities in September, says: "The central point that emerges from our research is that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on US government policy, while mass-based interest groups and average citizens have little or no independent influence."
Researchers concluded that US government policies rarely align with the the preferences of the majority of Americans, but do favour special interests and lobbying organizations: "When a majority of citizens disagrees with economic elites and/or with organized interests, they generally lose. Moreover, because of the strong status quo bias built into the US political system, even when fairly large majorities of Americans favour policy change, they generally do not get it."
The positions of powerful interest groups are "not substantially correlated with the preferences of average citizens", but the politics of average Americans and affluent Americans sometimes does overlap. This merely a coincidence, the report says, with the the interests of the average American being served almost exclusively when it also serves those of the richest 10 per cent.
The theory of "biased pluralism" that the Princeton and Northwestern researchers believe the US system fits holds that policy outcomes "tend to tilt towards the wishes of corporations and business and professional associations."
The study comes in the wake of McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, a controversial piece of legislation passed in The Supreme Court that abolished campaign contribution limits, and record low approval ratings for the US congress .
Posted on 4/16/14 at 9:40 am to PrimeTime Money
What's sad is many Americans buy into the lie that liberals are exempt from victimizing citizenry in this way. Whilst they are just as guilty as all brand of big government, special interest politicians. Sooner or later the Democrats' populist demagoguery charade they use to disguise their lies will be torn down by facts on the ground -- unless they can really clamp down on their vice grip on the media. At which point America is utterly fricked.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 9:40 am to PrimeTime Money
quote:
The US government does not represent the interests of the majority of the country's citizens, but is instead ruled by those of the rich and powerful, a new study from Princeton and Northwestern Universities has concluded.
quote:
Researchers concluded that US government policies rarely align with the the preferences of the majority of Americans, but do favour special interests and lobbying organizations: "When a majority of citizens disagrees with economic elites and/or with organized interests, they generally lose. Moreover, because of the strong status quo bias built into the US political system, even when fairly large majorities of Americans favour policy change, they generally do not get it."
Id say that is pretty spot on.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 9:49 am to PrimeTime Money
quote:they needed a study for this?
The US government does not represent the interests of the majority of the country's citizens,
quote:This is what I disagree with.
instead ruled by those of the rich and powerful,
If "the rich" are running the show, they are doing it wrong. I think it's pretty clear that the minority government is serving best are those mooching off the rich.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 9:51 am to PrimeTime Money
I'm interested in these countries where the rich and powerful are not the actual or de facto leaders of the nation.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:03 am to PrimeTime Money
If this study were true, we wouldn't have 47% of our population paying NO FEDERAL INCOME TAX.
Our democracy is run by the recipients of government wealth redistribution, because that's how our politicians are buying their votes, not with campaign funding.
Our democracy is run by the recipients of government wealth redistribution, because that's how our politicians are buying their votes, not with campaign funding.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:07 am to PrimeTime Money
quote:
The US government does not represent the interests of the majority of the country's citizens, but is instead ruled by those of the rich and powerful, a new study from Princeton and Northwestern Universities has concluded.
Well Princeton would know academia is the same way.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:09 am to NikolaiJakov
quote:
If this study were true, we wouldn't have 47% of our population paying NO FEDERAL INCOME TAX
a lot of those who pay 0 ARE the rich. They get the loopholes and deductions passed, claim losses, and BAM. pay nothing. Very common in coporate America.
However the bulk of your number are the poor which i think should still have to pay something.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:13 am to BobBoucher
quote:Nope. It's indisputable. "The rich" pay he cast majority of taxes.
a lot of those who pay 0 ARE the rich. They get the loopholes and deductions passed, claim losses, and BAM. pay nothing.
quote:Corporate taxes are VERY different than individual taxes. They are in no way comparable. To start, corporations are taxed on net, individuals on gross income.
Very common in coporate America.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:20 am to PrimeTime Money
The funny part isn't their conclusion. It's that I'd bet dollars to donuts that the majority if not all of the people involved in the study think voting for democrats will solve the problem!!
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:22 am to bamafan1001
quote:Bet you a thousand bucks the researches in this study don't count the fact the ACA passed despite majority opposition as an example of legislation that doesn't benefit the people. I'm speaking in terms of if you were just chilling talking to the dudes that did it.
Researchers concluded that US government policies rarely align with the the preferences of the majority of Americans, but do favour special interests and lobbying organizations: "When a majority of citizens disagrees with economic elites and/or with organized interests, they generally lose. Moreover, because of the strong status quo bias built into the US political system, even when fairly large majorities of Americans favour policy change, they generally do not get it."
Id say that is pretty spot on.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:26 am to PrimeTime Money
quote:
The US government does not represent the interests of the majority of the country's citizens
This is the downfall of America right there.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:27 am to Taxing Authority
quote:Yep The suck arse pretty hard to rigging the system in their favor!
If "the rich" are running the show, they are doing it wrong.
That said, the funny part of the article to me is that I view the conclusion as generally correct but not for the reasons they think.
The rich and powerful understand that a govt with HUGE revenues and willing to into debt ad nauseum means there is a big pot of money in DC to go feed on. What the ultra rich know all to well is that we citizens will willingly keep demanding dollars go to DC because we can get some goodies back.
The people who get screwed in all this are in fact rich people but NOT the TOP of the food chain. It aint Bill Gates so much as it's the brain surgeon no one knows who can expect a tax man anal probe.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:28 am to PrimeTime Money
quote:
The US government does not represent the interests of the majority of the country's citizens, but is instead ruled by those of the rich and powerful,
And being among the rich and powerful, themselves, "justices" Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, and Alito have zero problem with that.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:29 am to Rex
quote:If only we would have some Democrat controlled governments, THEN all would be well!!!
And being among the rich and powerful, themselves, "justices" Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, and Alito have zero problem with that.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:32 am to Rohan2Reed
quote:
What's sad is many Americans buy into the lie that liberals are exempt from victimizing citizenry in this way.
Naaah... What's TRULY sad is that Republican commoners have been fished in to think that their own interests are represented by these plutocrats and keep voting against themselves.
You can't with any honesty say that Republican and Democrat politicians are alike in dealing with wealth and power distribution. It's REPUBLICANS on the Supreme Court who decided Citizens United and McCutcheon. It's REPUBLICANS who vote against universal healthcare and minimum wages and Medicare and job programs and education.
This post was edited on 4/16/14 at 10:34 am
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:35 am to Rex
quote:Agreed.
You can't with any honesty say that Republican and Democrat politicians are alike in dealing with wealth distribution.
The latter thinks it's the government's job to distribute wealth. Hence, they don't like freedom very much. I like freedom.
quote:It would be in my interest if some politician promised to take some of your money and give it to me. I would vote against that guy cause I don't believe I've earned anything you have. Voting against one's interests in such a case would have to be considered the right thing to do.
keep voting against themselves.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:36 am to Rex
quote:
You can't with any honesty say that Republican and Democrat politicians are alike in dealing with wealth distribution.
Am I allowed to say that disagree with the basic premise of wealth distribution, regardless of the mouthpiece? Please let me know and I'll tailor my thought process to your liking. TIA.
Posted on 4/16/14 at 10:38 am to Taxing Authority
quote:
If "the rich" are running the show, they are doing it wrong.
Your graph doesn't illustrate your point.
What does "transfer payment" even mean? When this money is transferred from the rich to the government and then to the poor, does it suddenly evaporate and leave the economy? Is it ending up in the mattresses of the poor?
Can you elaborate on why you think those who control the government aren't controlling it in their own interests?
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