Written by Tony Giordano   

Failure to regulate Wall Street greed and prevent a crippling recession. Legislators selling out to big donors, while a complicit Supreme Court allows money to dominate and corrupt politics. Facilitating rather than tempering a growing, extreme and unjust inequality. Grossly inadequate action to forestall climate change. And, attacks on voting rights of all things!

Turning democracy into oligarchy.

This is the conclusion of a study by researchers at Princeton and Northwestern Universities— the U.S. has actually become an oligarchy. This study found that “economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy,” while average citizens “have little or no independent influence.” These disturbing findings confirm what many people have long suspected.

The early 21st century is truly a dark age for democracy in America. We can find ample blame for these failures of representative democracy-- a partisan and paralyzed Congress, a Supreme Court that rules for business and the wealthy exclusively, administrations that gut vital regulations, state legislatures selling out the 99% for the 1%, and powerful global corporations that use their wealth to buy candidates, steer policy, and propagandize.

Who knows what event or development will come to turn the tide and mobilize sufficient numbers of citizens to demand change? Will it be the rising seas, historically extreme storms, or food shortages resulting from climate change? Or a critical mass of people unable to pay their bills for food or housing? Possibly the cumulative weight of pervasive and blatant political corruption?

Surprising though it may sound, there’s evidence to suggest that increased food shortages triggering skyrocketing prices may be the development to propel the movement for democratic change over the top. The price of food is what really hits home. But it’s anyone’s guess what finally mobilizes people.

Nevertheless, I regard it as a certainty that something will do it. All of history has been a slow but continual march toward greater democracy and equality. This is a bump in the road, albeit a big one, but it will pass-- when a requisite mass of people demand change.

The one positive I can find in this dire situation is that oligarchic over-reach and extremism will further fuel the burgeoning social movement for democracy and human rights, demanding a government that protects the common good and is accountable to the people—all the people.

This broad, worldwide movement is steadily gaining strength, thanks in part to repeated attacks on democratic institutions that have the unwitting effect of converting and mobilizing increasing numbers of agents of change. The number of democratic protests here and worldwide has been rising significantly in recent years, with the trend expected to continue if not accelerate.

Anyone who values democracy and equality, not to mention a habitable planet, would be wise to support change, beginning with campaign finance reform. The big money in politics is drowning out the voices of average citizens, destroying our democracy.

In high level campaigns, the winner in more than 90% of elections is simply the candidate with the most money. Consequently, our representatives often spend more time soliciting contributions than doing their jobs. The winners, overwhelmingly incumbents, then go on to favor their special-interest donors in their policy decisions. Is that democracy?

As for the question of how history will judge government in America during this era, I don’t know of a grade low enough. Those tragic words keep ringing in my ears—“Average citizens now have no influence.” This is shameful.

The essence of government today is captured by the simple adage, “He whose bread I eat, his song I sing.” Of late, the bread and consequently the song are of, by, and for corporations and the wealthy. If this wasn’t evident before it certainly is now that money has become speech and corporations people.

To those in positions of power I ask-- how would you like to be remembered in history? Did you support democratic change for the common good? Or protect the relics of self-serving power?