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In the interests of clarifying what it is that America has become, we offer this...
So which one sounds more accurate?
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I'm ready for Fascism.
Neither , i prefer Anarchy Bitchez
Panarchism.
I want everyone to choose and suffer accordingly.
Republic is the ideal. But, it'll never happen in our lifetimes because it requires an intelligent and civic-minded citizenry. Because the jewish oligarchs control the media, democracy is ultimately controlled by them as well. A moral populace is needed as seed for any future state worth living in. If this isn't to be the case, then our progeny is doomed to serfdom under the heals of the tribe. The first commenter's quip may indeed be prophetic - as a total cleansing of our government stables is imperative. A non-jewish-led revolution is the only answer... and that hasn't happened anywhere for over 200 years (with the exception of Germany - 1933).
Republic is an ideal, and certainly Plato's ideal, but it was not even the founding fathers' ideal (though some of them were still around to attend the Constitutional Convention in 1787). However, an intelligent and civic-mined citizenry is philosophically incompatible with a republic, as a republic requires faith and surrender of the citizenry to elected officials. Moreover, even unintelligent and non-civic-minded peoples are often smart enough not to trust their "dear leaders" and choose to exercise the right of referendum to the degree offered (or ignored in the case of the EUSSR).
I'm glad you aren't the redneck that gets to define what a republic is. I think you're way off the mark.
Pecking orders according to the great Red Beckman (see youtube):
Republic:
God
Individual
Constitution
Government
Public Servant
Statute Law
Corporations
Democracy:
Central Bankers
Majority
Government
Public Servants
Case & Statute Law
Corporations
Individual
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=keH0AeszJyk
@ J S Bach
Why do you government lovers want to force your political beliefs on all others. What you are doing is giving them a reason to reciprocate.
Become human, leave others alone.
What did you get us Dr. Franklin ?
A Republic ............... If you can keep it.
How so, genius?
As to the definition of "republic", find an actual fault with definition, not an uncomfortable truth.
We've tried "republic" hundreds of times in the last 2400 years, there are over 100 them of now, and yet the success rate for the people is 0.
Aristotle had a better approach.
FYI: Plato's hypothetical "Republic" (a gross mistranslation; proper translation from the greek is "regime") was, by his satirical design in refuting polities of excess wealth, a totalitarian state in every way. Like most of his dialogic material, the piece is biting satire of propaganda states and sheeple. Could use him today.
Well we're part way to Plato's Utopian aristocratic republic (finally), we have the great unwashed uneducated masses, now if we could just edumacate the army door kickers and impoverish the congress critters... everyone, including the uneducated masses should have what they want and be happy.
once again, autojunks by people who didnt read the links, and are likely too fucking stupid to understand them anyway.
We already tried republic. We couldn't keep it. Nobody can...because humans are in charge and get to make the rules.
ALL government IS Oligarchy.
I prefer bitchez.
Give me bitchez or give me oligarchy!
The US is a REPUBLIC Bernie!
DUHHH!
Still surprised more people don't get that. Democracy is nothing more than being ruled by the mob, Oligarchy is nothing more than being ruled by the top wealth holders of any given geographic location. Only major difference is the majority of the oligarchs are extremely psychopathic while the majority of the mob is borderline retarded. Pick you poison.
How Bernie Sanders became the spokesman for freedom and liberty is beyond me.
He is an avowed socialist on many issues.
And I'm sure he will provide you all the freedom for which the State believes is necessary for you to have a content life. Just as long as you sign over all of your possessions first.
After all, true freedom is having nothing left to lose. In that regard, Bernie will make sure you have never been more free.
He is simply an avowed socialist, period. That said, I believe he is a true believer, not a lying psychopath like the rest. I think of it like if he were president he'd made horrible decisions that crush our economy but he wouldn't do it out of malice nor with any intention of inducing a locked police state where TV watches you. Sorta like the difference between kind and dumb versus malicious and stupid.
Which fits the progressive agenda perfectly. Nothing they have ever done, no matter how stupid or destructive is condemnable as they were only doing it out of the goodness of their heart, compared to evil conservatives who always want to know how much it will cost in money and freedom, regardless of the children.
In other words, Carter in spades. Pass.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. I'd prefer a hard ass leader that truley beleived in limited small government and would allow the weak and stupid to fail.
Dear old Adolf and Uncle Joe they certainly knew how to deal with the weak and stupid...tho i cant think of ANY government in the 20 or 21st C's that actually believed in small government....perhaps we can return to BC if small government is our paramount concern...
Can you please be kind and explain the main differences between Democracy and Republic, but without metaphors involving the animal kingdom?
The problem with English is, it can be very ambiguous. Words can have more than one definition, and these things can change over time. If you want to think of it in the most literal sense, a (direct) democracy is one where we actually all vote on all of the issues directly. Mob rule. But democracy has more than one definition, and in a broader sense, democracy can be one where we have a say in what goes on, and under that concept of democracy, a republic or a direct democracy both fit the bill.
Most of us cling to the concept of a Republic as a word that hasn't been abused or manipulated much over the last few hundred years and many of us see as a direct link to the constitution...what the constitution promised. We have seen progressives continually push the concept of a democracy purely as a means to force issues down the throat of anyone who would resist their agenda. Few if any progressive causes were ever supported by a majority. They instead relied on a very vocal minority who CLAIMED to speak for the majority to force laws and court decisions in their favor. Gay marriage for example. Many of their causes seem reasonable in hindsight, but partly because they have controlled the media and education to reinforce their concepts of right and "rights". Again, the prolific use of public debt has enabled the negative side effects of much of their agenda to be concealed from the public eye, with a generous hand from the media.
We are only really seeing the beginnings of the end and debt levels are but an indicator, not the real problem. We have voluntarily stopped procreating, sacrificed the education of our children with the progressive dumbing down for anti competitive sake as well as the flooding of our schools with third world children. We have voluntarily (as it would seem) surrendered our own jobs to the desire for the warm embrace of political correctness of welcoming illegal immigrants, H1B visa workers and endless imports from emerging countries needing a hand up.
They non stop preach to us about our need for generosity, of our money to help the poor, of our spirit towards those want to destroy us, to all those who would seek to put themselves ahead of all else.
White America's only path to salvation is through SACRIFICE of everything that brought us here, instead wallowing in self debasement, consumerism, and climax.....all about that short lived high that superficial sex, drugs and bling can bring.
They are killing any notion of future for white people.
Our best days are behind us...why?
Buried in debt, riddled with guilt, stoned out of our mind, and God help anyone who would stand up for themselves. Whites are the only haters. Don't believe me? How many people of color have been convicted of a "hate" crime? It is virtually impossible for a person of color to be a racist or a hater.....they are all simply "justified".
So, um, these "progressives" control the media? You mean those card-carrying CFR member "progressives"? Really? I always thought it was the homeless contingent of CFR members who controlled the media. Silly me.
And also these politically correct homeless "....surrendered our own jobs to the desire for the warm embrace of political correctness of welcoming illegal immigrants, H1B visa workers and endless imports from emerging countries needing a hand up..." It all makes so much sense now!
Democracy is a code word for communism. Declare a democracy, elect the one, and slavery for all.
Unlike the US Republic where you elect one and the rest get slavery?
Communism is a code word for apple pie.
I say a republic is simply rule by judges who may, for example, throw gays a bone for show now and then, but really only watch out for the rights of the people who matter -- the rich, of course.
Also I am not part of any "mob." The rich Great Gamers are the real mob.
Bernie, I don't remember having a full discussion on the Patriot Act or TARP. They were crammed through in a rush, because fear! And the things that we had a full discussion on, like NDAA and Obamacare, where huge numbers were opposed if not outright majorities, were still passed by Congress.
Independants have a lot of trouble with that one for some reason...
US was-is-will always be a oligarchy, Ukrainian style. Period.
Indeed it is. Even more frustrating is that Bernie has a very specific dialog behind his assertions of oligarchy, specifically that the democrat v. republican split is real and that all of the oligarchy is republicans abusing the system to get their way. He's supposed to be the left's Ron Paul, but Ron laid blame on everyone, and Bernie isn't even remotely close to doing that.
Also, I-independent my ass. I'll buy that when he's running for the presidential nomination of the indpendent party.
In other words, he's full of shit?
That's what I thought too.
The Untied States, like all forms of government is an Oligarchy. Bernie offers a false choice. No choice.
You have it already, it's just lacking the nationalism element. wtf?
The level of butthurt if you trash talk the US government with some of the sheep is astronomical. There is some nationalism in there. It is not across the entire population, but some people are terrified of acknowledging that maybe, just maybe something is wrong.
There is no such thing as a career politician in a Democracy.
Oligarchies only have career politicians.
A turd is a turd, and a politician is a politician.
A fresh turd is a good indicator of a healthy digestive system.
Young fools have no wisdom.
Old fools should know better.
I keep telling you: Kakistocracy
Been there, still doing that.
And if we get Hillary, it'll be kankleistocracy.
Concentrated corportate media - yes
100% Zionist Media - Hell Yes.
Democracy sounds pretty awful if you ask me....
Democracy is one person with one vote that is totally worthless.
Oligarchy: thanks dupes.
I've voting for Bernie! He's the only politico (besides Rand Paul) telling the truth.
As a Tribesman tho' can he be relied on when push comes to shove?
fwiw, Monty, though he's the only Jewish guy in the race, he is seemingly less in thrall to Israel and the MIC than, at least, every other candidate for the presidency. If he, too, idiotically spoke of Israel "defending itself" from largely ineffective unguided rocket fire that commenced *after* a number of Israeli aggressions, he at least also timidly suggested they 'went too far.' To my knowledge, not even Elizabeth Warren, who folded like a lawn chair on the issue in direct opposition to her 'progressive' pedigree otherwise, dared suggest even that.
It goes without saying I disagree with him politically/ideologically on quite a bit. And he has zero chance of winning. But I *think* he is a decent and honorable man, again, certainly relative to Hillary and the field of Republican idiot warmongers.
Bernie Sanders, Communist, Jew..., Vermont.
So what . . .
[Insert Republican candidate name], Neoliberal economics, Neoconservative foreign policy..., police-state Fascist.
Vermont is a very nice place. It always induces an emptyness in the pit of one's stomach driving out as one sees the mountains one last time. They also do not require a permit to conceal carry. The part best left behind is Burlington which is a far left college town full of students and academics. Without that one city the state would have a very different face. They also have some great breweries and plentiful hunting/fishing/hiking/camping. I wouldn't hesistate to live there except for Burlington.
I have nothing against Ben & Jerry's. Killington Ski Resort is one of the true treasures of the east.
It has an economy the size of... Greece! Enough said;)
We have a democracy. American Idol will let you phone in your vote. It's all about priorities and blissful ignorance---Calgon take me away!
Democracy is mob rule...two wolves and a sheep going to dinner. Fuck you Bernie
Given that the majority are idiots, pure democracy (one man, one vote) is hell on earth. The founding fathers knew this (read the Federalist X/ That's why they sought to try something different: a representative republic.
Anybody touting democracy should be forced to view "Obama Phone Lady" on repeat. Yes, she votes, probably more than once.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpAOwJvTOio
Parasites Below. Predators Above. The Universal Socialist State of America.
The United States of America is a union of republics. The difference between a republic and a democracy is this, in a republic the majority cannot vote away the rights of the people. Neither collectively or seperately.
in a republic the majority cannot vote away the rights of the people.
Right, they just vote for an asshole, and he, soon to be she, does it. What's the fucking difference?
So Obama just does it by edict!
Pumpkin, how comes concealed carry is illegal in NY?
Bernie is a Bolshevik pretending to be George Washington.
Typical shape shifter.
It's one "citizen," one vote.
The Left are counting illegal aliens for apportionment, which is why they use the word "person." People who are not citizens have no call on our assets or services. Since the illegals are in excess of 30 million people, they distort the size and shape our districts. This also plays into voter fraud.
Always whining about voter fraud. Did the Koch brothers pay you for your comment? Maybe you would like electoral districts solely comprised of the millionaires who live in the district - which is basically what we have since we live in an oligarchy. You and your racist Tea Party friends can go to hell.
it's racist to oppose illegal immigration?
Can you explain that?
Also, do you really think Dems are actively subverting us immigration law during a deep recession, allowing in hundreds of thousands of unskilled foreign language speakers because Americans want it, because it is good for the country or the economy - or might "undocumented Democrats" be cynical politics and a bold stand against US law and the will of the majority?
Citing the Koch Brothers doesn't advance your argument. In fact, it tends to make you look like a shmuck who belongs over at Daily Kos or Slate whining about the tea party, libertarians, and other groups that manifestly do not make policy.
edit, I didn't think you could.
Obama begins issuing work permits to spouses of foreign workersIn February, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director León Rodríguez announced that, come May, the Obama administration would be extending employment authorization eligibility to a category of immigrant previously ineligible to work in the U.S. — dependent spouses of H-1B immigrants.
... León Rodríguez, now isnt that cute. Wonder where his loyalties lie.
Arizona Is Pushing Back Hard Against Obama’s Unconstitutional Executive OrdersOh Boy can't wait to read the comments on Sanders.
-
"On the morning of Sept. 25, 2014, Tom Bednar was sitting in the bedroom of the Raleigh, N.C., home he shared with his wife, Marla, and two sons when Marla entered the room crying.
She had just looked at the bank account for their three-decade old business, Marla Enterprises, to find it empty. Now, Capital Bank was requesting close to $18,000 to cover the outstanding checks the couple had written.
After transferring money to straighten out their finances with the bank, the Bednars learned just what had happened with the $115,018.01 they had in their bank account: The United States Secret Service seized the money.
“We got no warning,” Tom Bednar said in an interview with The Daily Signal. “Nothing.”
- No Warning and No Notice Either
- Sovereign Immunity is well understood by the Wealthy and by the Federal Government Minions
Secret Service, IRS, Police nationwide, probably FBI & DEA both.
- To Bad we don't have Honest Brokers in DOJ, FBI, SEC, FINRA, FTC, GAO, CBO, FED, Treasury, OCC, FSOC, BCFP, CFTC, FDIC, FHFA, SIPC, Secret Service, IRS, DEA.
http://wtpcnews.com/2015/05/after-secret-service-seized-115000-north-car...
The Bednars have been awarded their original $115k,now they are after the $25k in Atty fees they are DUE.
+100, TeethVillage88s
Your comment is worth reading and researching.
I salute you!
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." - Ephesians 6:12
http://dailysignal.com/2015/05/26/after-secret-service-seized-115000-nor...
a concentrated corporate media that is also disproportionately owned, managed, and content developed by Jews, who are 2.5% of the population, highly ethnocentric, and many of whom are primarily loyal to a small foreign state.
I like Bernie, certainly more than every other candidate, but he left that part out. As he also left out the disproportionate campaign donations of Jews to each party:
Aww, one of the hasbarats who likes to spend their lives junking my posts right away obviously without even reading it [lol] may wish to read the following.
Facts are stubborn things.
p.s.
From Counterpunch:
a concentrated corporate media that is also disproportionately owned, managed, and content developed by Jews, who are 2.5% of the population, highly ethnocentric, and many of whom are primarily loyal to a small foreign state.
My answer: Their power comes from owning private credit means. Being able to loan means to own. Loaning the money power into existence and then taking the usury is a pyramid scheme, and the tribe then uses this incoming revenue stream to buy up the press. Before there was a press, they pamphleteered. Going all the way back to the Haibaru/Aiparu - they were roaming tribes of outcasts, usually with very high fraction Neanderthalic DNA. Inbreeding within the tribe and seeing themselves as unique, along with a religion that codifies psychopathy creates psychopaths.
There is strong evidence that high fraction neanderthalic dna peoples have overactive amygdala and are prone to psychopathy. This does not mean all Semitic people are psycho's, it just means they are prone to it.
Rip the money power from the psychopaths. Floating debt free money circulates forever, and is a permanent low cost tool used by people to do transactions. Any usury and rents on this money type are more difficult, although predators will try.
Private banks should not hold debt instruments on people. The citizens should hold debts and credits on each other. It should be something like if you borrow a lawn mower from your neighbor, and they borrow your string-trimmer. The debt/credit relations collapse upon returning of the good. It should be the same with money. Money as wealth is what we need, not money as debt/credit.
Having a banker, especially a Jew banker stand between our Credit and Debt relations is where the parasite is lodged. Eject the parasite, and democracy or republics might have a chance.
As long as money power is mal-formed, then give it up. Republics or Democracies won't work. The parasite has to be ejected from the brain center, and that center relates very closely to debt means.
The money supply can be converted over-night to Sovereign money. Unfortunately, governments are captured, so it is circular problem. Since they are captured, they won't convert the money supply away from private credit.
It's a thorny problem and if we don't solve it, real humans will not survive.
sovereignmoney.eu
Democracy with one vote per $1 paid in taxes should be the goal.
It would help with tax compliance and weed out the moochers from the voters.
"Sir, you paid $30K in taxes, your vote will be counted 30,000 times"
Don't think it would be in anyway immune to serious corruption.
Eliminate all income and property taxes and rely completely on sales taxes, levied and collected by counties and paid to their state coffers, states paying to the federal. No direct federal taxes at all. If we are to have a decentralized government with states rights as envisioned in the constitution, this is the most direct means of the people to control it. The federal government would only collect direct income from tariffs on imported goods, and even those tariffs would be determined by state representatives, not some fast track non accountable federal trade commission.
Income tax is the excuse and the wedge used for corporations to control government and buy influence. That door should be closed as it is apparent that there is no controlling authority to ensure transparency and accountability that would be the only counter to corruption.
NS über alles!
Weekend at Bernie's
Bernie is really bad news - for about 536 billionaires.
These billionaires own business that is taxed at the highest corporate rate in the world. Does anyone really think that you can remedy corruption with taxes or even penalties, especially when they can pass those costs on to their customers?
Bernie Sanders simply wants to see more or others "wet their beak" in the corruption. We should seek to end the corruption, not tax it or simply create new reasons for corporations to buy protection through corrupt lawmakers.
Bernie is typical of the Vermont transplant--well meaning and sincere, but entirely deluded in terms of solutions.
Still, I'd rather he won the "election" than any of the generic candidates (a complete non-starter, I know). There would at least be less burnishing of the turd.
What difference does it make...if the FED decides who gets the money?
"Experts argue the practice flips the presumption of innocence on its head, as property owners often undergo months of litigation to prove the property isn’t related to a crime—and that’s if they fight back at all."
"Months before the Secret Service seized the Bednars’ money, the Raleigh Police Department arrested the couple for operating their business without a permit. The charges were ultimately dropped in November—two months after the law enforcement officials took the $115,000 from Marla Enterprises’ bank account."
- I guess it was a PM & Coin Business, North Carolina, looks like the Bank turned them in to the Police first then?
Yeah Obama was going to save the world before he was elected the first time. If BS Sanders gets to be president you can expect immediate corruption in favor of TBTF and the MIC or else he would have an "accident".
It's not a democracy Bernie. It is a Military Republic-Banking-MIC-Corporatocracy.
Except this asset Seizure laws is over the top.
When the presumption of Innocence is gone, and Possession of Money isn't 9/10ths of the Law, then the shellac of Democracy at the Local & State level has faded and fallen due to Strong Central Power.
Is that why you voted for him twice? He was the most transparent candidate; too bad so many voters are blind.
You seem to have a problem with illogical assumptions.
At least you admit it; albeit in a most backward way.
It's one thing to believe a lie, but quiet another to believe a liar.
The form of government makes no difference; it is the people who are governed that determine the direction...Americans are reaping that which they have sown as an immoral and decadent society, which history will prove and has shown in the past. Party on.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
IOW - we are so far gone in a moral sense that it is akin to a filled and overflowing port-a-pot. Need proof; just read the comments anywhere and watch the news and see what people value the most; SMART devices named by the inventors who collect your "fiat paper"/ money and give you free apps or cheap apps in exchange for ALL your privacy...the NSA just brings it all together. Would you want something called "Devices for Dummies" or would you rather be dumb as long as you are called "SMART"? What will people do when they are face to face with the one who created the universe and all it contains, including all people? That will be a very tragic day for most.
We want to blame those who lied to us, when we know the only real test of intelligence is to be able to tell a lie from the truth, and the only way of determining our immorality by willingly accepting a known lie as truth because it is a lie we want to believe. Most times the biggest liar we know is ourselves as is its victim.
Zerohedge used to have free thinkers. Now all we have are Fox News shills and Koch Brothers apologists. Fuck you!
Obviously the only free thinkers are those who agree with you...
It is plain to see that only socialists have the answer, and we know how open to free thinking they are.
By the way...what is Bernie offering in regards to reeducation camps???
I prefer to continue with billionaires buying elections, voter suppression, and a concentrated corporate media determining what we see, hear, and read.
PS. I am greatly in favor of billionaires buying elections, as long as the elections are not against my interests. I am in favor of voter suppression as long as my vote is not suppressed. I am in favor of a concentrated corporate media determining what we see, hear, and read as long as it is what we want to see, hear, and read.
So rather than having the billionaires buying elections we will just have the government own and control everything, seeing as how they are doing such a good job with their current responsibilities.
Anyone can see the failure is in governance, and not even with regard to the rules and policies, but with their own ineptness and corruption. There is absolutely NOTHING from the left that attempts to address this in even the smallest way. Every problem is to be met with more government, more laws, more taxes, more overhead, more control of virtually every factor of our lives. Simply more of the beloved "ruthless German efficiency" that every big government genius is in love with. If only they could make the trains run on time, the world would be so much better place to live.
We can't tax or fine our way to utopia. The only path to utopia is through self sufficiency and independence, which is exactly opposite of anything Bernie Sanders has to offer.
Oh yes, and voter suppression??? Really??? You are going to claim that we have voter suppression? Why, because we want people to have IDs to confirm they are legally entitled to vote at that location? Really? Pretty funny on ZH to see anyone claim voter suppression when 95% of all posts here claim you are an idiot or worse if you DO vote.
ima free thinker
The word "all" should not be in the second sentence, and it would be correct. There are the far more than two species of lemming congregating at ZH, and unfortunately the critical thinkers are an endangered species.
Vote? Only with rocks, sticks and stones. Or more modern items.
Corporations have already WON. Need proof? You have no redress against banksters. BAM!
tyler, does this post mean you are supporting bernie sanders for president?
Never fear, Bernie. You'll get your classless society when our robot replacements are done offing the human race. They'll make better socialists than humans could.
By the way? Vermont is a rural slum thanks to the likes of Sanders. The only booming industry is the black market in prescription drugs. Any real Vermonters who have any ambition in life leave first chance they get. Those forced to remain hate the city slickers who retire to Vermont with nest eggs made on Wall Street, and vote in droves for politicians committed to keeping Vermont quaint, rural and poor.
Vermont is still doing better than most of the south, and it seems they very much like keeping it rural, and with a minimum of summer resident nyc douchebags. Have you even been to Vermont? It's not fucking Alabama or Arkansas for fuck's sake. It's not even Maine. North of Portland, Maine is loggers, hunters, and people writing manifestos in cabins.
a) more oligarchs per square foot than many states
b) lifers (and their offspring) making the laws
c) plenty of soldiers of the FSA
d) all of the above.
Actually CCW is legal in NY... as long as TPTB agree that your reason to carry meets their concept of "need". And don't say dumb shit like "personal protection" or "second amendment says I can", that gets you denied. And you can't legally own, handle, or use a handgun without the NY "pistol permit".
a) more oligarchs per square foot than many states
b) lifers (and their offspring) making the laws
c) plenty of soldiers of the FSA
d) all of the above.
Actually CCW is legal in NY... as long as TPTB agree that your reason to carry meets their concept of "need". And don't say dumb shit like "personal protection" or "second amendment says I can", that gets you denied. And you can't legally own, handle, or use a handgun without the NY "pistol permit".
Democracy = MOBocracy, rule by the mob. WE HAVE A REPUBLIC, PEOPLE.
Big difference.
..which is good enough for my vote.
"A Republic, if you can keep it"
"Democracy Or Oligarchy - You Decide"
Just follow the money trail and that will expose the truth:
60% of government spending is ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS for the ghetto garbage, proletariat hordes and endless latin invaders
THEREFORE
the usa is clearly a socialist parasite entitlement state controlled by the exploding proletariat parasites.
Democracy is just "soft communism" like discussing how the majority can steal the wealth from the wealthy fewer. Don't believe me? Look at the tax rates of democracies and that of feudal lords of history's past. That's the kind of issues voters looking for a free lunch are talking about. It's strange that people paint the political economy as being black or white as if it's either a oligarchy for the rich, or either a socialist political economy with entitlements for people. The reality is, it's not black or white color to paint the US economy. It's both, and both present a moral hazard.
Bernie Sanders is a socialist. Democracy is not as tame as he claims it is "disscussing" issues, when democracy is indeed mob rule based on populism. Populism can easily be inflamed by ignorance. Look how Mussolini gained support, looked how people supported Hitler by his populist policies, the list goes on and even worse yet, wars themselves become ideological, because politicians needs to brainwash people into accepting war. We have now total wars, and perpetual wars.
To answer the question, it's both. It's ignorant to say it's one or the other, that's how ignorant populism becomes inflamed which leads to radicalism. That's the nature of the ambitious politican looking to gain power and progress through the ranks of office, they do favors for everybody, if you do them favors. Favors are done for direct profit, not necessarily in money terms, but in gain. Favors is all about profit, while neglecting what really needs to be done like producing innovations, and goods society needs. Such societies decay over time, and if facing an epidemic of the problem, the nation declines dramatically.
If you only allow two answers to a question, it's not really a question that seeks to be answered. Making narrow questions like that, is exactly how populist politicians manipulate the masses, because they are only able to choose from two answers. Nice try, but I am not naive or gullible as the next guy. I am a free thinker and very aware of men and history. Zerohedge should know better than to decide between only two answers, or conclusions as either or, when it could very well be both.
US IS A PLUTOCRACY
(see definitions of oligarchy, plutocracy)
a plutocracy heavily loaded with kleptocrats
There is no "right" to vote. That right is given by the state, if it decides to. The states could decide that there will be no Federal election for POTUS and merely appoint electors. The right is not to be discriminated against when the "right" is given by the state. Originally there was no "election" of Senators. The 17th Amendment changed that and was a major blow to state power.
How could it be a "Democracy" when there is no right to vote? Anyone talking "Democracy" when talking about the US governemnt immediately throws up the red flag of Communism, and of course coming from Saunders, a dyed in the wool Leninist you would be correct.
The practice of Federal elections and the statutory election of Senators were 2 of the most damaging things that crushed the Republic, as it decreased the power of the states and gave all that power to the Federal government.
Then came "income tax" rather than equal capitation, and the Federal Reserve Act, and it was Katy bar the door for the Bankers to control the US government.
The criminals in Congress figured out that they could change the condtitution (by amendment) and make all of their illegal acts legal, under the guise that your vote matters.
Now that an illegal "executor of the laws" has been installed by vote fraud the last vestige of the Republic is gone, as when the executor of the laws is an illegal entity then there is no law, and the "law" is only what exil men say it is,