By David Goodman
Somewhere between the election of Ronald Reagan and the present, American ceased to be a representative democracy. Instead of a republic “of, by, and for the people,” we now live in an oligarchy dominated by the ultra-wealthy.
This change did not happen overnight but picked up speed over time until it became a gallop. That’s because money and politics have always been part of our American system so it was easy to ignore. In the current situation, what some call a second Gilded Age, our most fundamental political document, the U.S. Constitution, and the three branches of government became the tools of this transition. That’s the bad news. The good news is that this same American system can enable us to regain our lost republic.
Before we dream of a return to a brighter day, we need to understand clearly our present circumstances. Here is the most basic fact: Data over 20 years from a Princeton University study show that our government represents the interests of economic elites and lobbying organizations, but the opinions of average Americans have little, if any, impact on public policy. In their published study, political scientists, Martin Gilens of Princeton and Benjamin Page of Northwestern University, write:
“Americans do enjoy many features central to democratic governance, such as regular elections, freedom of speech and association, and a widespread (if still contested) franchise but … policymaking is dominated by powerful business organizations and a small number of affluent Americans [so] America’s claims to being a democratic society are seriously threatened.”
The tipping point in this slide toward oligarchy was the Great Recession of 2008 and the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. FEC decision, declaring corporations to be people with free speech rights to make unlimited campaign and political contributions. The ultra-wealthy (less than 0.1 percent of the population) did exceptionally well in the wake of the Recession, reaching unimaginable heights of affluence and power. The rest of us barely held on or lost ground.
The public will give up on politics when government acts powerless to limit the behavior of bad actors in banking and finance and shifts the costs of government more and more to students, the working poor, the middle class, and others who lack political connections and clout. This disengagement is a form of disenfranchisement and withering of democracy.
The political clout of the ultra-wealthy takes the form of Super-PACs and other unregulated dark money cash machines changing the political landscape. This affects the importance of regular elections, described as one of the central democratic features Americans still enjoy. In fact, we now have two elections in the United States.
The first is the “voting election,” where you and I cast a ballot. It’s what Gilens and Page meant by regular elections. They happen on a specific day, like the first Tuesday in November, or throughout the calendar as primary days in advance of the General Election. These elections are specific to districts and states where we vote.
The second election is the “money election,” where funders give money to candidates to run effectively. These elections happen continuously and involve constant fundraising. Unlike the voting election, funders in the money election, who are a tiny fraction of the population, can support candidates in any district they choose.
You and I get to cast a ballot in the “voting election,” but the funders decide who the candidates will be in the “money election.” In the 2012 presidential election, where $7 billion was raised, 0.000032 percent — or 99 Americans — gave 60 percent of the individual Super PAC money spent in this election cycle.
As Boss Tweed, the head of Tammany Hall, famously said in the 19th century: “I don’t care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating.”
So it all comes down to numbers. The ultra-wealthy have the money and a vise grip on Congress and many state legislatures. We could throw in the towel and declare victory for an American oligarchy or use our vast numbers of people to mobilize and fight back.
Many individuals, groups and organizations are challenging the corruption and dysfunction of Washington and state capitals. One is Represent.Us, a cross-partisan non-profit organization that provides expert help with grassroots initiatives drawn from “the American Anti-Corruption Act,” as a standard for anti-corruption laws at the city, state, and federal levels (www.anticorruptionact.org).
Following New Jersey examples in Princeton and Ewing Township, municipal resolutions are appearing across the country; ballot initiatives in three states are in process for 2016, with more anticipated in subsequent years; and over 500,000 individuals are supporting the AACA, so far.
It all comes down to numbers. We can reclaim our representative democracy if we speak up and mobilize now.
David Goodman, Ph.D., is a team leader of the Central New Jersey Chapter of Represent.Us. He is also a think tank panelist on the Emmy-award winning public affairs show, “Fresh Outlook.”
