The U.S. Is No Longer a Democracy

[NUance]

Jimmy Carter Is Correct that the U.S. Is No Longer a Democracy

By Eric Zuesse, Huffingtonpost.com, Posted: 08/03/2015 11:48 am EDT Updated: 1 hour ago

<snip> These two historic decisions enable unlimited secret money (including foreign money) now to pour into U.S. political and judicial campaigns. Carter answered:

"It violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it's just an oligarchy with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or being elected president. And the same thing applies to governors, and U.S. Senators and congress members. So, now we've just seen a subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect, and sometimes get, favors for themselves after the election is over. ... At the present time the incumbents, Democrats and Republicans, look upon this unlimited money as a great benefit to themselves. Somebody that is already in Congress has a great deal more to sell."

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This is one of the biggest problems we have in U.S. politics today. Maybe the biggest. Too many politicians vote to line their pockets, not for the good of America. Allowing massive campaign contributions exacerbates this problem.

 

 

[knapplc]

Citizens United was the death-knell of the American Democracy. It will go down in history as one of the worst decisions by any Supreme Court, ever.

[BigRedBuster]

Just to be clear, the US was never a true Democracy.

[zoogs]

Just to be clear, the US was never a true Democracy.

 

This article is not at all about the direct democracy / democratic republic distinction, though.

[NUance]

Just to be clear, the US was never a true Democracy.

 

If we had been, it would have taken about two years to vote every time we had a decision to make. And then another year to tally all the votes. Or it would've taken that long 220 years ago in the early days of this country.

[TGHusker]

Yes - this is a huge problem. Some future court may have to reverse it or set new limits.

[ColoNoCoHusker]

Just so I understand it... The Chicago Political Machine - by all accounts one of the most openly corrupt political "entities" imaginable - gets a man elected President and it takes some comments by Jimmy Carter 8 years later for this to be discussed ;-)... The Republic vs Democracy distinction aside, I don't think Democracy in this country is any more dead than it's always been. If anything, it's just more transparently obvious than it has been since the "Democratic process" of the 1800s.

[BigRedBuster]

Just so I understand it... The Chicago Political Machine - by all accounts one of the most openly corrupt political "entities" imaginable - gets a man elected President and it takes some comments by Jimmy Carter 8 years later for this to be discussed ;-)... The Republic vs Democracy distinction aside, I don't think Democracy in this country is any more dead than it's always been. If anything, it's just more transparently obvious than it has been since the "Democratic process" of the 1800s.

I tend to think the same way. And, certain political people tend to use it as an....."OMG the country is falling apart....vote for me" statement.

[knapplc]

Just so I understand it... The Chicago Political Machine ... gets a man elected President

You don't understand it. Obama was elected - twice - because he was the best candidate - twice.

 

Had the Republicans pushed a viable candidate either time he likely wouldn't have been elected. Instead we got McCain & Palin - and there was NO WAY most Americans were going to put Sarah Palin one heartbeat away from the Presidency. And in 2012 you got Mitt Romney, one of the worst fake stuffed-shirt candidates we've had since George Dukakis.

 

It wasn't "Chicago politics" that got Obama elected. It was the Republicans. Twice.

[ColoNoCoHusker]

 

Just so I understand it... The Chicago Political Machine ... gets a man elected President

You don't understand it. Obama was elected - twice - because he was the best candidate - twice.

 

Had the Republicans pushed a viable candidate either time he likely wouldn't have been elected. Instead we got McCain & Palin - and there was NO WAY most Americans were going to put Sarah Palin one heartbeat away from the Presidency. And in 2012 you got Mitt Romney, one of the worst fake stuffed-shirt candidates we've had since George Dukakis.

 

It wasn't "Chicago politics" that got Obama elected. It was the Republicans. Twice.

 

 

I totally understand it... I voted for Obama both times for the reasons you mention. That said, I was not under any illusions about the state of "Democracy" in this country

[BigRedBuster]

 

Just so I understand it... The Chicago Political Machine ... gets a man elected President

You don't understand it. Obama was elected - twice - because he was the best candidate - twice.

 

Had the Republicans pushed a viable candidate either time he likely wouldn't have been elected. Instead we got McCain & Palin - and there was NO WAY most Americans were going to put Sarah Palin one heartbeat away from the Presidency. And in 2012 you got Mitt Romney, one of the worst fake stuffed-shirt candidates we've had since George Dukakis.

 

It wasn't "Chicago politics" that got Obama elected. It was the Republicans. Twice.

 

Everyone understands that the Republicans crapped the bed in the last elections. No question. However, there was a political machine funded by huge amounts of money from very wealthy people that got Obama elected. That is how these elections have happened way longer ago than what Jimmy wants to admit. Infact, I pretty sure there would have been a pretty powerful money machine from wealthy people that got him elected too. To bad he sucked so bad it didn't work the second time.

[ColoNoCoHusker]

 

Just so I understand it... The Chicago Political Machine - by all accounts one of the most openly corrupt political "entities" imaginable - gets a man elected President and it takes some comments by Jimmy Carter 8 years later for this to be discussed ;-)... The Republic vs Democracy distinction aside, I don't think Democracy in this country is any more dead than it's always been. If anything, it's just more transparently obvious than it has been since the "Democratic process" of the 1800s.

I tend to think the same way. And, certain political people tend to use it as an....."OMG the country is falling apart....vote for me" statement.

 

 

You, sir, get it!

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

Just so I understand it... The Chicago Political Machine - by all accounts one of the most openly corrupt political "entities" imaginable - gets a man elected President and it takes some comments by Jimmy Carter 8 years later for this to be discussed ;-)... The Republic vs Democracy distinction aside, I don't think Democracy in this country is any more dead than it's always been. If anything, it's just more transparently obvious than it has been since the "Democratic process" of the 1800s.

I tend to think the same way. And, certain political people tend to use it as an....."OMG the country is falling apart....vote for me" statement.

 

 

You, sir, get it!

 

The fact is, Jimmy has one mission when it comes to this type of stuff. Get Democrats elected. Right now the Democrats have done a fantastic job of convincing a very large number of American voters that rich people are evil and they are stealing everything you have and you life is miserable because of those evil rich people with all the power so vote for me and I will end your misery because I feel your pain.....BTW.....send me your money so I can get elected.

 

This article is very timely right at the beginning of the election build up and right before the first Republican Presidential election.

 

So....hey....let's make statements and put out an article talking about how all the rich people have all the power and it's getting worse fast.

 

 

And...BTW....Citizens United needs to be thrown in the trash.

[knapplc]

 

 

Just so I understand it... The Chicago Political Machine ... gets a man elected President

You don't understand it. Obama was elected - twice - because he was the best candidate - twice.

 

Had the Republicans pushed a viable candidate either time he likely wouldn't have been elected. Instead we got McCain & Palin - and there was NO WAY most Americans were going to put Sarah Palin one heartbeat away from the Presidency. And in 2012 you got Mitt Romney, one of the worst fake stuffed-shirt candidates we've had since George Dukakis.

 

It wasn't "Chicago politics" that got Obama elected. It was the Republicans. Twice.

 

Everyone understands that the Republicans crapped the bed in the last elections. No question. However, there was a political machine funded by huge amounts of money from very wealthy people that got Obama elected. That is how these elections have happened way longer ago than what Jimmy wants to admit. Infact, I pretty sure there would have been a pretty powerful money machine from wealthy people that got him elected too. To bad he sucked so bad it didn't work the second time.

 

 

 

There's a "big political machine funded by huge amounts of money from very wealthy people" trying to get both Democrats and Republicans elected. The Koch Bros., Sheldon Adelson, Robert Mercer, etc, on the Republican side, and Tom Steyer, Sheldon Adelson, George Soros, etc. on the Democrat side.

 

Funny thing - notice Sheldon Adelson on both sides. Again - thanks, Citizens United!

[BigRedBuster]

 

 

 

Just so I understand it... The Chicago Political Machine ... gets a man elected President

You don't understand it. Obama was elected - twice - because he was the best candidate - twice.

 

Had the Republicans pushed a viable candidate either time he likely wouldn't have been elected. Instead we got McCain & Palin - and there was NO WAY most Americans were going to put Sarah Palin one heartbeat away from the Presidency. And in 2012 you got Mitt Romney, one of the worst fake stuffed-shirt candidates we've had since George Dukakis.

 

It wasn't "Chicago politics" that got Obama elected. It was the Republicans. Twice.

 

Everyone understands that the Republicans crapped the bed in the last elections. No question. However, there was a political machine funded by huge amounts of money from very wealthy people that got Obama elected. That is how these elections have happened way longer ago than what Jimmy wants to admit. Infact, I pretty sure there would have been a pretty powerful money machine from wealthy people that got him elected too. To bad he sucked so bad it didn't work the second time.

 

 

 

There's a "big political machine funded by huge amounts of money from very wealthy people" trying to get both Democrats and Republicans elected. The Koch Bros., Sheldon Adelson, Robert Mercer, etc, on the Republican side, and Tom Steyer, Sheldon Adelson, George Soros, etc. on the Democrat side.

 

Funny thing - notice Sheldon Adelson on both sides. Again - thanks, Citizens United!

 

Agree. And Adelson is probably the smartest one in the bunch. He wins no matter what.

 

This is the main reason why my eyes cloud over and my ears stop working whenever there is any type of alarmist propaganda coming from either direction.