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From The Guardian
The president is the puppet master so Americans of all persuasions must look behind him, to where the real danger lies
I keep hearing that the Democratic party has moved "left" and that Democratic candidates may be "too far left."
A half-century ago, when America had a large and growing middle class, those on the "left" sought stronger social safety nets and more public investment in schools, roads and research. Those on the "right" sought greater reliance on the free market.
But as wealth and power have concentrated at the top, everyone else whether on the old right or the old left has become dis-empowered and less secure.
Safety nets have unraveled, public investments have waned and the free market has been taken over by crony capitalism and corporate welfare cheats. Washington and state capitals are overwhelmed by money coming from the super rich, Wall Street and big corporations.
So why do we continue to hear and use the same old "right" and "left" labels?
I suspect it's because the emerging oligarchy feels safer if Americans are split along the old political battle lines. That way, Americans won't notice they're being shafted.
In reality, the biggest divide in America today runs between oligarchy and democracy. When oligarchs fill the coffers of political candidates, they neuter democracy.
The oligarchs know politicians won't bite the hands that feed them. So as long as they control the money, they can be confident there will be no meaningful response to stagnant pay, climate change, military bloat or the soaring costs of health insurance, pharmaceuticals, college and housing.
There will be no substantial tax increases on the wealthy. There will be no antitrust enforcement to puncture the power of giant corporations. There will be no meaningful regulation of Wall Street's addiction to gambling with other peoples' money. There will be no end to corporate subsides. CEO pay will continue to skyrocket. Wall Street hedge fund and private equity managers will continue to make off like bandits.
So long as the oligarchy divides, Americans split off people of color from working-class whites, stoke racial resentments, describe human beings as illegal aliens, launch wars on crime and immigrants, stoke fears of communists and socialists, it doesn't have to worry that a majority will stop them from looting the nation.
Divide-and-conquer allows the oligarchy free rein. It makes the rest of us puppets, fighting each other on a made-up stage.
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