BenjaminPage

BenjaminPage https://www.dailykos.com/news/BenjaminPage News Community Action Copyright 2005 - Steal what you want Tue, 28 Jan 2020 02:00:23 +0000 Tue, 28 Jan 2020 02:00:23 +0000 Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Daily Kos rss@dailykos.com (Daily Kos) Consortium News’ Exclusive by JP Sottile: “America’s Surge Toward Oligarchy” https://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/4/24/1294385/-Consortium-News-Exclusive-by-JP-Sottile-America-s-Surge-Toward-Oligarchy (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Parry_%28journalist%29">Robert Parry</a>—one of my all-time heroes in US journalism--just provided me with written authorization to republish this truly outstanding post at Daily Kos. It's running as an exclusive over at his <a href="http://www.consortiumnews.com">Consortium News website</a>, today. But, first and foremost, a major "thank you" to this post's author, Emmy-winner JP Sottile, who encouraged Mr. Parry to grant this authorization. And, a very big h/t to Kossack Joe Shikspack for bringing it to my attention, in the first place. Very much of a group effort! I hope you’ll find it well worth it.) <blockquote> <center> <big><a href="http://consortiumnews.com/2014/04/24/americas-surge-toward-oligarchy/">America’s Surge Toward Oligarchy</a></big> JP Sottile <a href="http://www.consortiumnews.com">Consortium News</a> April 24, 2014 </center> Exclusive: With the rapid concentration of wealth in a few well-manicured hands and the right-wing U.S. Supreme Court declaring money to be speech, the American surge toward oligarchy has gained what looks like an unstoppable momentum, as JP Sottile explains. By JP Sottile Is America an oligarchy? Thanks to a new study from Martin Gilens of Princeton University and Benjamin I. Page of Northwestern University, social media, Op-Ed pages and the blatheri are all atwitter at the implication that American democracy is a sham. In <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/~mgilens/Gilens%20homepage%20materials/Gilens%20and%20Page/Gilens%20and%20Page%202014-Testing%20Theories%203-7-14.pdf">Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens</a>, Gilens and Page used a data-set of 1,779 policy issues from 1981 to 2002 to compare actual policy outcomes with the prevailing policy preferences of three income groups: “10Th income percentile (quite poor), the 50thpercentile (median), and the 90th percentile (fairly affluent).” <div class="dkimg-c"><img src="http://images.dailykos.com/images/79729/large/geithner-obama.jpg?1398364357" alt="Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and President Obama in the Oval Office." width="480" height="360" /></div> <center> Timothy Geithner (left), then Treasury Secretary, meeting with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office. (White House photo) </center> </blockquote> (continued below) rss@dailykos.com (bobswern) Barack Obama BarackObama BenjaminPage ConsortiumforIndependentJournalism Consortiumnews.com EconomicInequality Economics JPSottile MartinGiles Neofeudalism Oligarchy Plutocracy RealNews.com robertparry TimGeithner _1294385 Thu, 24 Apr 2014 19:05:53 +0000 Redressing the oligarchs, because the money matters https://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/4/20/1293431/-Redressing-the-oligarchs-because-the-money-matters <blockquote>"Congress shall make no law respecting...the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." - First Amendment to the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights</blockquote> We are Constitutionally empowered to redress the actions of our government, or its inaction, in matters both social and criminal. American activism is the quintessential expression of that guaranteed right. Some put their talk to their feet, and march in protest. Some put their grievances to paper, press or keyboard, and some express with their wallets, either by withholding money through boycotts or by making it rain on a politician or a cause. The latter, it should be noted, has become a grievance in itself, for fear the Supreme Court decisions in Citizens United and McCutcheon will give some voices an unfair advantage when it comes to petitioning for change. Such is the case with the recent attacks by Democratic leaders on the obscenely wealthy, conservative buttresses, Charles and David Koch. "These two brothers are trying to buy America," Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D-Nevada) declared on the floor of the upper chamber, in late February. Because they throw so much money at their robber baron agenda, laced with an unhealthy obsession against government and taxes, the Kochs have become an anathema to progressives and the liberal base of the Democrats. They also have the social sensitivity of Marie Antoinette. rss@dailykos.com (ProseAndThorn) Affordable Care Act AffordableCareAct BenjaminPage Campaign Finance CampaignFinance Elections2014 Koch Brothers KochBrothers MartinGilens Oligarchy Politics Supreme Court SupremeCourt _1293431 Mon, 21 Apr 2014 00:46:04 +0000