Why The U.S. Is Not A Democracy

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This nation was founded as a democratic republic, specifically a representative democracy. As voters, we like to believe that we play a significant role in our government's affairs by more-or-less directly choosing who will represent us in Washington.

But, with few exceptions, the men and women in Washington do not represent the voters.

Instead, they represent the special interests which have the money to influence the voters at election time.

And, while history class taught us that we have a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people," what we've really ended up with is a government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich.

Whether it's the big bank vs. the foreclosed homeowner or the insurance industry vs. the sick, the rich corporate interests win almost every time.

To add insult to injury, the special interests are so good with the lies and the propaganda that they've got working class Republicans rallying against their own best interests. (See any health care town hall meeting for examples.)

The special interests are so good with the lies and the propaganda that they have convinced the sheep that it's better to have a profit-driven insurance executive administer your health care coverage rather than a public servant in Washington whose salary is paid through our own tax dollars.

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