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schuretteStassa Edwards
10/11/15 1:25pm
It baffles the mind that this is legal - that somewhere in the constitution there wasn’t a provision against shit like this. That said, the Supreme Court did pass Citizens United, so I guess it’s the entire system that supports this utter insanity.
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  montgirlschurette
  10/11/15 1:29pm
  Well, it’s more a matter of there not being anything in the Constitution which allowed it- until Citizens United. If the Supreme Court had not said that corporations = people and that money= speech for purposes of the Constitution, then we would not be here. Thanks to that multi-step interpretation of the Constitution, we now would have to amend the Constitution to change anything. Thanks supremes.
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  RooseveltsRevengeschurette
  10/11/15 1:52pm
  In marshaling their financial resources chiefly behind Republican candidates, the donors are also serving as a kind of financial check on demographic forces that have been nudging the electorate toward support for the Democratic Party and its economic policies. Two-thirds of Americans support higher taxes on those earning $1 million or more a year, according to a June New York Times/CBS News poll, while six in 10 favor more government intervention to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. According to the Pew Research Center, nearly seven in 10 favor preserving Social Security and Medicare benefits as they are.
  
  Here’s the heart of it. Simply astounding. In what is supposed to be the nation that led the world to democracy, the beacon of all freedom, we’ve legalized bribing our own government to the benefit of an almost immeasurably small minority.
  
  The fact that in this climate, by those numbers, the GOP is in control of both houses of congress, is dumbfounding. Even more so when you think about the fact that if the democrats were to win back both houses of congress it would be seen as a miracle-landslide.
  
  I’m disgusted.
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antoinettemarieStassa Edwards
10/11/15 1:16pm
So when do we stop pretending we are a democratic republic and start calling ourselves an oligarchy?
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  Gemmabetaantoinettemarie
  10/11/15 1:22pm
  Hasn’t it always been the case?
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political...
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Blue LionStassa Edwards
10/11/15 3:06pm
An Alternet.com contributor has identified some disturbing parallels between 21st century America and the late Roman Republic, which gave way to civil wars and, later, rule by emperors.

At least the Romans were up front about tying political power to wealth. An official called the censor examined potential senators’ finances and determined whether they were wealthy enough to enter the Senate.
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  pdxwhyBlue Lion
  10/11/15 3:54pm
  That pops up every so often, but in fact that is how USA was structured. The USA was structured on the Roman ideal of the Democratic Republic, in which wealthy men of ideals did the deciding for the plebes.
  
  You could not be a Senator unless you were white, male, a landowner(slaveowner) OR a person of considerable means. You actually could not even vote unless you white, male and literate. A large percentage of the population- many White men, all women, all African Americans and other ethnic minorities- did not have suffrage until the 1900s, and most people still could not vote until Civil Rights Act and Voting Act- IN THE FREAKING 1960s!
  
  The whole so called Conservative movement is a reactionary movement, meant to try to turn the clock back to 1920, before civil rights, the modern economy and globalisation. It’s is meant to keep Americans being stupid and violent to each other ( racism, support of fascist police, desperate grabs at women’s rights) Making sure our safety net is full of holes (how many votes on ACA did the Republicans try to get rid of it- a modest over overhaul AT BEST of our health care system?) sending our men and women oversees fighting instead of building right here, and doing everything to make people feel like taxpayers instead of citizens.
  
  The past 40 years has been about fighting the structure of how this country was founded so that it better fits the population now. That is why, horribly enough, the Supreme Court makes a type of sense: This country was founded by moneyed people, many of whom were slaveowners, and their money and voice counts just as much as Joe and Jane Sixpack.
  
  This is why we all should stop worshipping and looking to the old Constitution and make a new one. France has made what- 5 now? The Nordics have a mde new ones. I do not see why we have to abide by a Constitution that does not fit our modern times and needs!
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  CleisthenesBlue Lion
  10/11/15 3:54pm
  Except the people involved with the end of the Republic were incredibly capable
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AcesNinesStassa Edwards
10/11/15 1:23pm
Don’t worry, the Carnegie and Rockefellers of our generation will soon build all the new colleges and libraries and other essentials we need. No need to change public funding.

Something something trickle down.
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  Snake PersonAcesNines
  10/11/15 1:26pm
  Actually, I know you’re joking, but this has me thinking. Who are our Carnegies and Rockefellers?
  
  Gateses? Zuckerbergs maybe?
  
  ...Trumps?
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  AcesNinesSnake Person
  10/11/15 1:55pm
  Gates probably. I think most of the silly wealthy guys of our lifetime end up spending more money overseas though.
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Masshole JamesStassa Edwards
10/11/15 2:11pm

GIF

GIF

GIF

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nausea inducingStassa Edwards
10/11/15 1:19pm
American politics, BOUGHT to you by the makers of….
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Aurelius RoblesStassa Edwards
10/11/15 1:46pm
I don’t think anything will change until we stop internet-complaining and start meatspace-rebelling.

Of course, that isn’t working out so well in Syria, so maybe we’re just screwed no matter what.
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pdxwhyStassa Edwards
10/11/15 3:54pm
I answered a comment below and will repeat here:

The USA was structured on the Roman ideal of the Democratic Republic, in which wealthy men of ideals did the deciding for the plebes.

You could not be a Senator unless you were white, male, a landowner(slaveowner) OR a person of considerable means. You actually could not even vote unless you white, male and literate. A large percentage of the population- many White men, all women, all African Americans and other ethnic minorities- did not have suffrage until the 1900s, and most people still could not vote until Civil Rights Act and Voting Act- IN THE FREAKING 1960s!

The whole so called Conservative movement is a reactionary movement, meant to try to turn the clock back to 1920, before civil rights, the modern economy and globalisation. It’s is meant to keep Americans being stupid and violent to each other ( racism, support of fascist police, desperate grabs at women’s rights) Making sure our safety net is full of holes (how many votes on ACA did the Republicans try to get rid of it- a modest over overhaul AT BEST of our health care system?) sending our men and women oversees fighting instead of building right here, and doing everything to make people feel like taxpayers instead of citizens.

The past 40 years has been about fighting the structure of how this country was founded so that it better fits the population now. That is why, horribly enough, the Supreme Court makes a type of sense: This country was founded by moneyed people, many of whom were slaveowners, and their money and voice counts just as much as Joe and Jane Sixpack.

This is why we all should stop worshipping and looking to the old Constitution and make a new one. France has made what- 5 now? The Nordics have a mde new ones. I do not see why we have to abide by a Constitution that does not fit our modern times and needs!
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Snake PersonStassa Edwards
10/11/15 1:20pm
Wow, those monopoly pieces are a striking visual.
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