revelarts
08-15-2014, 10:31 AM
Study: You Have 'Near-Zero' Impact on U.S. Policy Quote:
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A startling new political science study concludes that corporate interests and mega wealthy individuals control U.S. policy to such a degree that "the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy."
The startling study, titled "Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens," is slated to appear in an upcoming issue of Perspectives on Politics and was authored by Princeton University Professor Martin Gilens and Northwestern University Professor Benjamin Page. An early draft can be found here.
Noted American University Historian Allan J. Lichtman, who highlighted the piece in a Tuesday article published in The Hill, calls Gilens and Page's research "shattering" and says their scholarship "should be a loud wake-up call to the vast majority of Americans who are bypassed by their government."
The statistical research looked at public attitudes on nearly 1,800 policy issues and determined that government almost always ignores the opinions of average citizens and adopts the policy preferences of monied business interests when shaping the contours of U.S. laws.
The study's findings align with recent trends, where corporate elites have aggressively pursued pro-amnesty policies despite the fact that, according to the most recent Reuters poll, 70% of Americans believe illegal immigrants "threaten traditional U.S. beliefs and customs," and 63% believe "immigrants place a burden on the economy."
The solution, say the scholars, is a reinvigorated and engaged electorate.
"If policymaking is dominated by powerful business organizations and a small number of affluent Americans, then America's claims to being a democratic society are seriously threatened," conclude Gilens and Page.
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Study: You Have 'Near-Zero' Impact on U.S. Policy (http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/08/12/Study-You-Have-Near-Zero-Impact-on-U-S-Policy#)
if comments here degenerate into RvD i'd be really disappointed.
can we all agree that this goes beyond D v R.
the wealthy elites run both parties and play the populous to get votes and then do whatever they want and make excuses to the voters who pony up and vote for "their" team again hoping for more crumbs next time.
Some of the founders warned us about this happening.
Quote:
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Anti-Federalist Papers #58
WILL THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE GENUINELY REPRESENTATIVE?
I conceive the position to be undeniable, that the federal government will be principally in the hands of the natural aristocracy...
...
Another observation is, that 'congress will have no temptations to do wrong'.
The men that make it must be very uninformed, or suppose they are talking to children.
In the first place, the members will be governed by all those motives which govern the conduct of men, and have before them all the allurements of offices and temptations to establish unequal burdens, before described.
In the second place, they and their friends, will find it for their interests to keep up large armies, navies, salaries, etc., and in laying adequate taxes.
In the third place, we have no good grounds to presume, from reason or experience, that it will be agreeable to their characters or views, that the body of the people should continue to have power effectually to interfere in the affairs of government.
But it is confidently added, that 'congress will not have it in their power to oppress or enslave the people; that the people will not bear it.'
It is not supposed that congress will act the tyrant immediately, and in the face of daylight. It is not supposed congress will adopt important measures without plausible pretenses, especially those which may tend to alarm or produce opposition. We are to consider the natural progress of things-that men unfriendly to republican equality will go systematically to work, gradually to exclude the body of the people from any share in the government, first of the substance, and then of the forms. The men who will have these views will not be without their agents and supporters.
...Probably they will be wise enough never to alarm, but gradually prepare the minds of the people for one specious change after another, till the final object shall be obtained.
Say the advocates (of the constitution), 'these are only possibilities'.
They are probabilities a wise people ought to guard against; ......
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Quote:
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Anti-Federalist Papers
The Address and Reasons of Dissent of the Minority of the Convention of Pennsylvania to their Constituents
...Thus it appears that the liberties, happiness, interests, and great concerns of the whole United States, may be dependent upon the integrity, virtue, wisdom, and knowledge of 25 or 26 men_How unadequate and unsafe a representation! Inadequate because the sense and views of 3 or 4 millions of people diffused over so extensive a territory comprising such various climates products, habits, interests, and opinions, cannot be collected in so small a body; ....
and from the nature of the thing, men of the most elevated rank in life will alone be chosen. The other orders in the society, such as farmers, traders, and mechanics, who all ought to have a competent number of their best informed men in the legislature, will be totally unrepresented.
The representation is unsafe, because in the exercise of such great powers and trusts, it is so exposed to corruption and undue influence, by the gift of the numerous places of honor and emoluments at the disposal of the executive; by the arts and address of the great and designing; and by direct bribery.
....
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“History records that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and it's issuance.”
James Madison
And so, here we are as a nation.
we can claim to fighting for a good Constitutional Representative gov't by voting in a NEW Republican or Democrat but what are you REALLY doing? calling Obama an Islamist or Bush a Nazi is not doing jack when they BOTH take orders from the international corporate elites and banking fat cats.
Every honest American needs to wake the heck up.
<tbody>
A startling new political science study concludes that corporate interests and mega wealthy individuals control U.S. policy to such a degree that "the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy."
The startling study, titled "Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens," is slated to appear in an upcoming issue of Perspectives on Politics and was authored by Princeton University Professor Martin Gilens and Northwestern University Professor Benjamin Page. An early draft can be found here.
Noted American University Historian Allan J. Lichtman, who highlighted the piece in a Tuesday article published in The Hill, calls Gilens and Page's research "shattering" and says their scholarship "should be a loud wake-up call to the vast majority of Americans who are bypassed by their government."
The statistical research looked at public attitudes on nearly 1,800 policy issues and determined that government almost always ignores the opinions of average citizens and adopts the policy preferences of monied business interests when shaping the contours of U.S. laws.
The study's findings align with recent trends, where corporate elites have aggressively pursued pro-amnesty policies despite the fact that, according to the most recent Reuters poll, 70% of Americans believe illegal immigrants "threaten traditional U.S. beliefs and customs," and 63% believe "immigrants place a burden on the economy."
The solution, say the scholars, is a reinvigorated and engaged electorate.
"If policymaking is dominated by powerful business organizations and a small number of affluent Americans, then America's claims to being a democratic society are seriously threatened," conclude Gilens and Page.
</tbody>
Study: You Have 'Near-Zero' Impact on U.S. Policy (http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/08/12/Study-You-Have-Near-Zero-Impact-on-U-S-Policy#)
if comments here degenerate into RvD i'd be really disappointed.
can we all agree that this goes beyond D v R.
the wealthy elites run both parties and play the populous to get votes and then do whatever they want and make excuses to the voters who pony up and vote for "their" team again hoping for more crumbs next time.
Some of the founders warned us about this happening.
Quote:
<tbody>
Anti-Federalist Papers #58
WILL THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE GENUINELY REPRESENTATIVE?
I conceive the position to be undeniable, that the federal government will be principally in the hands of the natural aristocracy...
...
Another observation is, that 'congress will have no temptations to do wrong'.
The men that make it must be very uninformed, or suppose they are talking to children.
In the first place, the members will be governed by all those motives which govern the conduct of men, and have before them all the allurements of offices and temptations to establish unequal burdens, before described.
In the second place, they and their friends, will find it for their interests to keep up large armies, navies, salaries, etc., and in laying adequate taxes.
In the third place, we have no good grounds to presume, from reason or experience, that it will be agreeable to their characters or views, that the body of the people should continue to have power effectually to interfere in the affairs of government.
But it is confidently added, that 'congress will not have it in their power to oppress or enslave the people; that the people will not bear it.'
It is not supposed that congress will act the tyrant immediately, and in the face of daylight. It is not supposed congress will adopt important measures without plausible pretenses, especially those which may tend to alarm or produce opposition. We are to consider the natural progress of things-that men unfriendly to republican equality will go systematically to work, gradually to exclude the body of the people from any share in the government, first of the substance, and then of the forms. The men who will have these views will not be without their agents and supporters.
...Probably they will be wise enough never to alarm, but gradually prepare the minds of the people for one specious change after another, till the final object shall be obtained.
Say the advocates (of the constitution), 'these are only possibilities'.
They are probabilities a wise people ought to guard against; ......
</tbody>
Quote:
<tbody>
Anti-Federalist Papers
The Address and Reasons of Dissent of the Minority of the Convention of Pennsylvania to their Constituents
...Thus it appears that the liberties, happiness, interests, and great concerns of the whole United States, may be dependent upon the integrity, virtue, wisdom, and knowledge of 25 or 26 men_How unadequate and unsafe a representation! Inadequate because the sense and views of 3 or 4 millions of people diffused over so extensive a territory comprising such various climates products, habits, interests, and opinions, cannot be collected in so small a body; ....
and from the nature of the thing, men of the most elevated rank in life will alone be chosen. The other orders in the society, such as farmers, traders, and mechanics, who all ought to have a competent number of their best informed men in the legislature, will be totally unrepresented.
The representation is unsafe, because in the exercise of such great powers and trusts, it is so exposed to corruption and undue influence, by the gift of the numerous places of honor and emoluments at the disposal of the executive; by the arts and address of the great and designing; and by direct bribery.
....
</tbody>
“History records that the money changers have used every form of abuse, intrigue, deceit, and violent means possible to maintain their control over governments by controlling money and it's issuance.”
James Madison
And so, here we are as a nation.
we can claim to fighting for a good Constitutional Representative gov't by voting in a NEW Republican or Democrat but what are you REALLY doing? calling Obama an Islamist or Bush a Nazi is not doing jack when they BOTH take orders from the international corporate elites and banking fat cats.
Every honest American needs to wake the heck up.