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The US is a constitutional republic in which democratic institutions act according to the wishes of those with the biggest checkbook except for a few limited c

The US is a constitutional republic in which democratic institutions act according to the wishes of those with the biggest checkbook except for a few limited cases...and even when the populace can defeat that, often the checkbook eventually wins. See CISA as the most recent example.

sandworm101 11y ago
It's too easy to blame the billionaires' checkbooks. US elections can be bought, but only indirectly. Money buys advertising, but the people still have the power not to listen to advertising. Just ask Jeb! Bush. I still blame the individual voters who choose to remain so ignorant.
- beerbajay 11y ago
  It is systems that allow for bad results. Blaming the individual is silly. If people are ignorant, there is a system keeping them so.
- LoSboccacc 11y ago
  In the big number game, you have half people dumber than average. In a system where the majority wins, that's self defeating.
- disposition2 11y ago
  > Money buys advertising, but the people still have the power not to listen to advertising. Quite true. However, considering how the financier of these advertisements can be obfuscated or just not reported period, you're basically asking people to ignore all political advertising and be suspect about just about everything they read, hear or see.
  - api 11y ago
    "The people" are sort of a non entity. A person can resist propaganda, but a propagandist does not have to convince a person. A propagandist need only convince enough people to sway an election-- and any subset of people of any age or education will do. If the election is close it might only take a few percent. This indeed places a lot of power in the hands of the media and anyone who can buy it. Democracy is sort of a plutocratic oligarchy system where ordinary people are recruited to be intermediaries and are therefore given the illusion of power.
Amezarak 11y ago
CISA, for all its importance, is a niche issue. Most Americans don't care. Some of them are all for it. The only groups who have a problem with CISA are the technical community and some civil liberties advocates. CISA is not an example of a law passed in the face of popular opposition.
- nightcracker 11y ago
  [citation needed]
- michaelmrose 11y ago
  Most people will never be aware of every minor or even most major issues. I think the majority of people who were aware of it were against it.

sandworm101 11y ago

It's too easy to blame the billionaires' checkbooks. US elections can be bought, but only indirectly. Money buys advertising, but the people still have the power not to listen to advertising. Just ask Jeb! Bush. I still blame the individual voters who choose to remain so ignorant.

beerbajay 11y ago
It is systems that allow for bad results. Blaming the individual is silly. If people are ignorant, there is a system keeping them so.
LoSboccacc 11y ago
In the big number game, you have half people dumber than average. In a system where the majority wins, that's self defeating.
disposition2 11y ago
> Money buys advertising, but the people still have the power not to listen to advertising. Quite true. However, considering how the financier of these advertisements can be obfuscated or just not reported period, you're basically asking people to ignore all political advertising and be suspect about just about everything they read, hear or see.
- api 11y ago
  "The people" are sort of a non entity. A person can resist propaganda, but a propagandist does not have to convince a person. A propagandist need only convince enough people to sway an election-- and any subset of people of any age or education will do. If the election is close it might only take a few percent. This indeed places a lot of power in the hands of the media and anyone who can buy it. Democracy is sort of a plutocratic oligarchy system where ordinary people are recruited to be intermediaries and are therefore given the illusion of power.

Amezarak 11y ago

CISA, for all its importance, is a niche issue. Most Americans don't care. Some of them are all for it. The only groups who have a problem with CISA are the technical community and some civil liberties advocates. CISA is not an example of a law passed in the face of popular opposition.

nightcracker 11y ago
[citation needed]
michaelmrose 11y ago
Most people will never be aware of every minor or even most major issues. I think the majority of people who were aware of it were against it.