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> But they're all billionaires, so issues that don't affect billionaires personally... just don't get included in the debate. I recently came across this fasci
by bjhoops1 13y ago
> But they're all billionaires, so issues that don't affect billionaires personally... just don't get included in the debate.
I recently came across this fascinating statistical study[1] of U.S. Senators responsiveness to the political positions of their constituents, which found that both Republicans and (to a slightly lesser extent) Democrats were overwhelmingly responsive to the positions of the wealthiest 1/3 of their constituents, and entirely unresponsive to the positions of the lowest 1/3. Well worth a read.
[1] http://www.princeton.edu/~bartels/economic.pdf http://www.princeton.edu/~bartels/economic.pdf
- bubbleRefuge 13y agoCan the lower 1/3 be expected engage on the political front when they are a bit preoccupied with finding the income to pay rent and put food on the table? Perhaps pursuing austerity policies on government programs that increase income to the lower 1/3 helps check the revolution. Case in point, the Republicans -supposedly mortally opposed to taxes - did nothing to prevent the payroll tax increase at the end of 2012 from taking effect. An overwhelmingly regressive tax.