5 ms·

Enlighten me but how is it any different than how US operates? In US, sure we vote but most elected members work for their donors and special interest groups wh

Enlighten me but how is it any different than how US operates? In US, sure we vote but most elected members work for their donors and special interest groups who are effectively corporations run by oligarchs. So in other words it’s indirect elected oligarchy. I mean there is a reason why the approval rate of Congress is historically low at their twenties, if it’s truly of the people that would not be the case. It seems worse in Europe where EU and it’s unelected bureaucrats control everything. It seems to me in every world, it’s the selected group of powerful people mostly exerting their influence through money.

roywiggins 3y ago
People don't like Congress but they like their own congresspeople well enough. https://news.gallup.com/poll/162362/americans-down-congress-own-representative.aspx https://news.gallup.com/poll/162362/americans-down-congress-...
alehlopeh 3y ago
Parent comment mentioned “military state” which should be more than enough to satisfy your desire for enlightenment on the difference between western democracies and totalitarian regimes.
- bettercallsalad 3y ago
  Well is the defence budget not the highest percentage spending of the GDP and more than combined of all 10 other top spendings? And military industrial complex is a reality, not just a cynical rhetoric going back to Eisenhower. Oh and the three letter agencies and their mindless spying on average citizen. I think in many ways average citizen not being aware of many of these dysfunctional realities is a far worse case than citizens of places where they know who runs the show.
  - AnimalMuppet 3y ago
    "Military state" does not mean "spends a lot on the military". It means that the military controls decisions (either overtly or covertly). That's not the case for the US, no matter how big the military budget is.
    - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
      > not the case for the US, no matter how big the military budget is If anything, the U.S. military's budget having to plop production in every Congressional district speaks to who needs whom to get that money.
robwwilliams 3y ago
Too much Chomsky, not enough Rorty.
sofixa 3y ago
> It seems worse in Europe where EU and it’s unelected bureaucrats control everything. Citation very much needed. European parliament that votes on laws is directly elected; European commissioners that propose laws and have somewhat executive authority are indirectly elected (proposed by national governments, which are elected, and confirmed by the European parliament).

roywiggins 3y ago

People don't like Congress but they like their own congresspeople well enough. https://news.gallup.com/poll/162362/americans-down-congress-own-representative.aspx https://news.gallup.com/poll/162362/americans-down-congress-...

alehlopeh 3y ago

Parent comment mentioned “military state” which should be more than enough to satisfy your desire for enlightenment on the difference between western democracies and totalitarian regimes.

bettercallsalad 3y ago
Well is the defence budget not the highest percentage spending of the GDP and more than combined of all 10 other top spendings? And military industrial complex is a reality, not just a cynical rhetoric going back to Eisenhower. Oh and the three letter agencies and their mindless spying on average citizen. I think in many ways average citizen not being aware of many of these dysfunctional realities is a far worse case than citizens of places where they know who runs the show.
- AnimalMuppet 3y ago
  "Military state" does not mean "spends a lot on the military". It means that the military controls decisions (either overtly or covertly). That's not the case for the US, no matter how big the military budget is.
  - JumpCrisscross 3y ago
    > not the case for the US, no matter how big the military budget is If anything, the U.S. military's budget having to plop production in every Congressional district speaks to who needs whom to get that money.

robwwilliams 3y ago

Too much Chomsky, not enough Rorty.

sofixa 3y ago

> It seems worse in Europe where EU and it’s unelected bureaucrats control everything. Citation very much needed. European parliament that votes on laws is directly elected; European commissioners that propose laws and have somewhat executive authority are indirectly elected (proposed by national governments, which are elected, and confirmed by the European parliament).