April 23, 2014

The US is an oligarchy, study concludes

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746

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 preferences of the majority of Americans, but do favor 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 favor 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 interests of the average American being served almost exclusively when it also serves those of the richest 10 per cent.

More at link...

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after a bit of googling, I wasn't able to locate a single U.S. news outfit that carried this story.

April 7, 2014

"will anyone responsible for the torture,"

No.

That's how it works in todays America.

When confronted with questions as to why the purps won't be brought up on charges we will be the recipient of various forms of the now tired phrase, "the nation wouldn't survive it". And a rough translation means, "we, the current crop of willful stooges (aka politicians) to the wealthy and military machine, wouldn't survive it"

It's all about preserving legacy based on lies and the "winners" who write/rewrite the history.

Don't get me wrong, there will always be those who will work as the poster children for the outraged. The various congress people that will call for investigations (blue ribbon or otherwise) to "get to the bottom of this".

There will be all sorts of speeches, televised conferences and various hearings filled with lots of feigned indignation and finger wagging. The well rehearsed and over practiced expressions of "exasperation" and "head shaking in wonderment".

And most certainly there will be the usual smoke and mirrors by both sides to cloud out the actual issue which could lead to an actual real investigation.

In the end?

Several underlings will fall on their swords to serve their time in a country club jail for "crimes" that only cut the surface of the actual travesty, but they will be paraded around as the "one" who was the "mastermind".

The full court press by the Sunday talk show spokes models will make sure that subterfuge is the name of the game.

But the main mission is further division, not between the have mores and the have even less, but to further exploit infighting within the middle and lower class. Continuing to make sure that we the people never ever coalesce on a common cause.

And our gaze is never kept for long on the actual issue.

Don't be the least surprised if some non-trovercy (think Benghazi) is trumped up to distract us all when the real red meat of this report is issued. (most likely on a Friday Night News dump)

Yes, I'm cynical. I have lived a long time and have been witness to how our nation transitioned from the rights of the people to the rights of the corporation.

And at the end of the day, when all is lied and done, it's about money. It's always been about money. Nothing more nothing less.

And those in power; (don't insult yourself by thinking the politicians are in power) want to stay in power.