Worthless votes

Dear Editor: A startling new political science study concludes that corporate interests and mega wealthy individuals control U.S. policy to such a degree that “the preferences of the average American appear to have only a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy.”

The startling study, titled “Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens,” authored by Princeton University Professor Martin Gilens and Northwestern University Professor Benjamin Page, should be a loud wake-up call to the vast majority of Americans who are bypassed by their government.”

Now actually they wonder why nobody votes anymore.

We tried it with Obama. Took that Nobel Peace Prize and to date has made war with over seven countries in the Middle East with people we had no argument with. That war machine is something else isn’t it? Makes money for someone and it is not us.

$2 billion a day on the defense budget I hear? The LA Times reported that stock prices rose due to the need for more weapons for this war.  Weapons contractors had a field day.

Needing an excuse to go into Syria? Someone provided it.

ISIS controls the oil fields they are selling it on the black market. It pushes down the price of oil. Someone is worried about this.

Exon Mobil and their stock prices tumbled.   Notice how gas is a little cheaper these days?

Nobody was held accountable for this mess. I guess they told our president something?

I have no idea what it was but maybe a new approach to healthcare.

The statistical research looked at public attitudes on nearly 1,800 policy issues and determined that government almost always ignores the opinions of average citizens and adopts the policy preferences of moneyed business interests when shaping the contours of U.S. laws.

They think if they pay us we might vote. Why do they think we do not vote?

Because at some time we all figured it out.

Margaret Hittinger

Downey

**********

Published: Oct. 16, 2014 - Volume 13 - Issue 27