Forum Post: Article: CAPITALISM vs. DEMOCRACY: How the Economic Crisis and the Occupy Movement Threaten the Illusion of Global Wealth and Modern Liberal Democracies

(I wasn't sure if I should post the entire article, which is long, or a link--I don't want to violate any codes of conduct here. So I thought I'd hedge my bets, so to speak, and post a little bit of both, an excerpt and the link.)

"While it seems the Occupy movement is on the verge of re-gaining steam, either by continuing the protests or evolving to adapt different strategies or tactics, it remains largely sidelined by politicians and Wall Street. While political leaders, pundits, and demagogues continue to co-opt populist rhetoric, politicians and the media have diminished the true message generating the movements protesting economic disparity and inequality.

Since Nixon removed the dollar from the gold standard, unchecked capitalism and the skyrocketing costs of running for office hollowed the foundations of the American republic and replaced the oak of democracy with the steel of corporate oligarchy. Although the veneer of democracy remains intact, the wealthy exert disproportionate influence on elected officials, skewing the system and possibly paving the way for modern corporate serfdom.

Money is awash in Washington, raining on politicians and political parties by the millions. The wealthy, corporations, and political ideology have tipped the scales to such a degree that recent Census statics show nearly 1 in 2 American families in are poor or hold low-income jobs."

LINK: http://www.obsense.org/#!/2012/02/capitalism-vs-democracy-how-economic.html