Congress

unhappycamper

(60,364 posts) Sat Apr 19, 2014, 06:38 AM Apr 2014

Study: Popular movements strangled by influence of the wealthy elite in Congress

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/04/18/study-popular-movements-strangled-by-influence-of-the-wealthy-elite-in-congress/

Study: Popular movements strangled by influence of the wealthy elite in Congress
By Travis Gettys
Friday, April 18, 2014 12:19 EDT

A forthcoming study found that ordinary citizens exert little influence on the political process, even when they form coalitions to compete against corporate interests.

~snip~

“The basic idea is that maybe ordinary citizens don’t have a whole lot of influence on their own, but they’re represented by groups,” said co-author Benjamin Page, a Northwestern University political science professor.

He said, in theory, everyone ought to be represented “pretty well” in the U.S. political system, but “it turns out that’s just not true.”

“Mass-based interest groups have much less influence than corporations and business-oriented groups,” Page said. “If you like the idea of democracy, it’s got to be a little disturbing.”

10 replies

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Highlight:

Study: Popular movements strangled by influence of the wealthy elite in Congress (Original Post) unhappycamper Apr 2014 OP

Get the Moola Out of Congress, Permanently Demeter Apr 2014 #1

Anyone involved with Wall St is working & investing against us. And yeah, it's "disturbing". raouldukelives Apr 2014 #2

Page said. �If you like the idea of democracy, it�s got to be a little disturbing.� tecelote Apr 2014 #3

Most of us knew that already. zeemike Apr 2014 #4

How do we get our government back when the electoral process is as corrupt as ours is? CrispyQ Apr 2014 #5

By marching in the streets for months and months and..... fasttense Apr 2014 #6

we needed a study to figure this out? Doctor_J Apr 2014 #7

it plays out over and over and over barbtries Apr 2014 #8

Apparently we need to wave checks, not signs. DirkGently Apr 2014 #9

I think it's scary... NoMoSTi May 2014 #10

Demeter

(85,373 posts)

1. Get the Moola Out of Congress, Permanently

Reply to unhappycamper (Original post)

Sat Apr 19, 2014, 08:48 AM

Apr 2014

amend the Constitution so that Roberts retires in disgust, and we'll see what kind of democracy we can have.

raouldukelives

(5,178 posts)

2. Anyone involved with Wall St is working & investing against us. And yeah, it's "disturbing".

Reply to unhappycamper (Original post)

Sat Apr 19, 2014, 09:09 AM

Apr 2014

For every person who tries to address environmental or economic justice, there are many invested against them and adding more fuel to the fire daily.
Some of them even wonder why things aren't getting better. Why we are voiceless. When all along, they are why.

tecelote

(5,156 posts)

3. Page said. �If you like the idea of democracy, it�s got to be a little disturbing.�

Reply to unhappycamper (Original post)

Sat Apr 19, 2014, 09:14 AM

Apr 2014

...because it is not a democracy.

zeemike

(18,998 posts)

4. Most of us knew that already.

Reply to unhappycamper (Original post)

Sat Apr 19, 2014, 09:18 AM

Apr 2014

But it is nice to see a study confirm it...some people require it.

CrispyQ

(41,104 posts)

5. How do we get our government back when the electoral process is as corrupt as ours is?

Reply to unhappycamper (Original post)

Sat Apr 19, 2014, 10:07 AM

Apr 2014

Big money, electronic voting, a compromised media, and an apathetic population. Sadly, the people who can change the process benefit from the current process. I still vote, but I do so with less & less enthusiasm each cycle & very little feeling that my vote makes a difference.

fasttense

(17,301 posts)

6. By marching in the streets for months and months and.....

Reply to CrispyQ (Reply #5)

Sat Apr 19, 2014, 10:19 AM

Apr 2014

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)

7. we needed a study to figure this out?

Reply to unhappycamper (Original post)

Sat Apr 19, 2014, 11:45 AM

Apr 2014

barbtries

(31,353 posts)

8. it plays out over and over and over

Reply to unhappycamper (Original post)

Sat Apr 19, 2014, 11:53 AM

Apr 2014

gun control. minimum wage. immigration reform. jobs. everything. lawmakers used to be public servants, now they are almost each and every one, there to get rich.

DirkGently

(12,151 posts)

9. Apparently we need to wave checks, not signs.

Reply to unhappycamper (Original post)

Sat Apr 19, 2014, 11:47 PM

Apr 2014

Who knew?

NoMoSTi

(3 posts)

10. I think it's scary...

Reply to unhappycamper (Original post)

Wed May 7, 2014, 05:07 PM

May 2014

These funders make me sick. No matter what we do, it's never enough!

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