Democracy or “Aristocratic Plutocracy”?

Governance is defined by “Who controls Political Power”

Characteristics of an Aristocracy: “Dominant power by a privileged ruling class”

  • 1

    Entrenched, stagnant, self-perpetuating Two Party political class.

  • 2

    Average congressional tenure is 10 years

    79 members > 20 years (historic highs).

  • 3

    Median age: House 59, Senate 61 (historic highs) ; U.S. population, 38

    18 of 33 Senators up for re-election 2018 – over 65.

  • 4

    Median net worth average:

    Congressman: $1,100,000 (not including hidden home value).
    U.S. adult citizen: $44,900.

  • 5

    630 former Members work as lobbyists or for lobbying clients (last 5 years).

  • 6

    Strangled choice, closed clique of partisans (2016—All-time records):

    • 402 of 435 House seats non-competitive (30 unopposed).
    • 97% re-elected.
    • Only 8 incumbents defeated (4 only when outspent).
  • 7

    Incumbent’s $$ advantage over challenger (average)

    • House: 643% = ~ 6 x times as much $$
    • Senate: 1,330% = ~ 13 x times as much $$
  • 8

    Only 14 of 50 states are competitive and...

    • Those 14 get 99% of Party ad spending (>50% in 4: FL, OH, NC, PA).
    • 36 states are a forgone 1-Party state like China, Russia
  • 9

    Parties cede districts to each other though gerrymandering, $$ targeting.

  • 10

    No matter which Party controls the legislature for re-districting - they

    • Connect together their most-favored leaning precincts…
    • Thereby ceding the remainder to the Other Party, then also locked in.
  • 11

    Result? Eliminate competition, one for you, one for me.

    Few left actually contested — only 33 of 435 (2016 elections).

  • 12

    Revolving door of career politicians, appointed officials, lobbyists, apparatchiks.

  • 13

    Party Federal Patronage:

    • 4,000 executive branch.
    • 21,000 congressional staff appointees.
  • 14

    Parasitic cadre of lawyers, lobbyists, PR, polling, media, data firms.

  • 15

    14 of top 20 donor revolving doors are Law Firms (320 lobbyists).

  • 16

    Praetorian Guard of prominent white collar defense lawyers @ $1,000./ hr.

  • 17

    Affiliated ideological partisans. “think tanks,” “independent” committees.

  • 18

    Faux charities, foundations, law-lobbying fronts, pass-through conduits.

  • 19

    Increasing academic infiltration through donor class and "think tanks."

    • Co-opted faculties, research, partisan centers and events.
    • Both Parties’ mega-donors propagandizing students.
    • Public MA university refuses FOIA on researchers’ studies because D-Party “think tank” funding source refuses disclosure.