And somehow we still call it a democracy

[Mabouya]

Link to NYT story: http://nyti.ms/1jVHlUn

"158 families have provided nearly half of the early money for efforts to capture the White House."

This can't be a good thing. I know there will be more donations later by the "little people," but still, this isn't good for the overall health of our political system.

They are overwhelmingly white, rich, older and male, in a nation that is being remade by the young, by women, and by black and brown voters. Across a sprawling country, they reside in an archipelago of wealth, exclusive neighborhoods dotting a handful of cities and towns. And in an economy that has minted billionaires in a dizzying array of industries, most made their fortunes in just two: finance and energy.

Now they are deploying their vast wealth in the political arena, providing almost half of all the seed money raised to support Democratic and Republican presidential candidates. Just 158 families, along with companies they own or control, contributed $176 million in the first phase of the campaign, a New York Times investigation found. Not since before Watergate have so few people and businesses provided so much early money in a campaign, most of it through channels legalized by the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision five years ago.

[Dave Thompson]

It's spelled o.g.l.i.a.r.c.h.y.

[Mark Kelly]

It's spelled o.g.l.i.a.r.c.h.y.

Oligarchy?

[Dave Thompson]

Oligarchy?

Yeah, that too. It's such an unknown and unused term here until recently, I had a brain fart trying to spell it.

[Too Tall]

Elections should last two weeks strictly limited to public funding.

[deano]

Elections should last two weeks strictly limited to public funding.

But how would we know how each and every one of the candidates would respond to each and every thing the other candidates say/do/eat for breakfast?

[sine]

Elections should last two weeks strictly limited to public funding.

Two weeks might be a little short.....but this.........way way too freaking long.

[ides1056]

Elections should last two weeks strictly limited to public funding.

voting should be mandatory, and done on a weekend

[Scott G.]

It's spelled o.g.l.i.a.r.c.h.y.

The Beeb disgrees with you....on spelling.

Study: US is an oligarchy, not a democracy - BBC News

[ericpmoss]

If one really thinks that voting is not important, compare and contrast Jerry Brown as governor of California and this guy:

Alaska mulls extra oil drilling to cope with climate change - BBC News

(Civilized) words escape me...

[XR2]

In reality the USA is a federalist republic with democratically elected leaders.

Take a look at Gary Johnson. An experienced legitimate leader. Consider real options instead of complaining.

[Dallas Tex]

It's spelled o.g.l.i.a.r.c.h.y.

Unless something has changed recently, those 158 families get one vote per person. Just like you or me. "1%" can't outvote 99%.

[Mabouya]

Unless something has changed recently, those 158 families get one vote per person. Just like you or me. "1%" can't outvote 99%.

In that case they must really be stupid, because they're spending all that money for a reason and it isn't for philanthropy.

[monadnocky]

IIRC the seven (eight?) Walmart heirs have as much wealth as the bottom 48% of the entire country.
Chilling even before reading Piketty.

[vertical_doug]

Unless something has changed recently, those 158 families get one vote per person. Just like you or me. "1%" can't outvote 99%.

the customer only gets to order from the menu, the cook decides what is on the menu.

the 158 families are the cooks. you, my friend, can democratically choose between a coke or a pepsi. There are no other choices.

[deano]

"...most made their fortunes in just two: finance and energy."

Listen I'm not even an arm-chair economist, but that statement is worrisome. (And, saying nothing of implications made above, I think it's worrisome no matter what someone's politics are, neo-con/free-market, leftie/prog, traditional economy, Tory, etc.).

And no matter what kind of government one values, democracy, anarcho-socialism, monarchy, etc., two sectors such as finance and energy dominating the [political or otherwise] economy point out that there's something contrived about that economy.

In other words, finance is a red-flag because it doesn't necessarily pertain to an actual physical contribution to the economy, just wagering on other things in said economy and trading on units pretty far removed from the day to day lives of humans. Big market forces wind up steering the context for what someone does with their mind and hands in their life. Seems like the tail wagging the dog. It's true humans have always applied their labor to the needs of the world but I am not well informed enough to know if we should associate something like our modern stock market with human necessities. Is the stock market even concerned with those same problems?

And, energy, well, this is a cycling forum, so I don't feel like I need a flame-retardant suit to suggest, yeah, I probably think the West has invented a bloated, unsustainable, unhealthy system of getting its people around and doing stuff in the world that we should probably turn back from. Yeah, we have a car and heat our home, yeah, we're implicated, etc., etc. But dang.

[Jaq]

the customer only gets to order from the menu, the cook decides what is on the menu.

the 158 families are the cooks. you, my friend, can democratically choose between a coke or a pepsi. There are no other choices.

Or, in other words, who pays the piper calls the tune.

Or Hobson's Choice.

P.s. On a related note, the David Lean movie "Hobson's Choice" is delightful.

[nahtnoj]

"1%" can't outvote 99%.

They don't have to outvote the 99(.999)%, because they choose who we get to vote FOR...

[Mark Walberg]

Unless something has changed recently, those 158 families get one vote per person. Just like you or me. "1%" can't outvote 99%.

But, they're working on that.

[Dallas Tex]

They don't have to outvote the 99(.999)%, because they choose who we get to vote FOR...

Seems like Bernie Sanders is disproving this conspiracy theory. And if more people got out and voted in the primaries, he'd be the democrat nominee.