Has democracy ended in the U.S.?

[*michaelsean*]

(07-02-2018, 12:18 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: Okay, this has, of course, become a partisan discussion. Let's back it up a little bit. The public started losing faith in our institutions with the release of the Pentagon Papers. That was an unveiling of lying by a Democrat (Johnson) and there was a retaliation by a Republican (Nixon) for it. Then Nixon made things worse, and Ford after him. Then you ave just had a continual slide down the tree of idiocy. Newt Gingrich is probably more responsible for the current state of affairs than anyone thanks to his GOPAC memo. That really helped tear apart an environment in Washington where opponents weren't considered enemies. He succeeded where McCarthy failed, and we have been seeing the fruits of his labor ever since.

Why did the Republicans obstruct on Garland? Because of the Democrats obstructing on Bork. Why did they obstruct on Bork? The back and forth started by Gingrich. Both parties have taken an attitude that is their job to win while they are in Washington. That's it. Their job isn't to improve the economy, create a more educated and healthy citizenry, improve social and racial equity. No, those may happen because that will help their polling, but that isn't their goal like it once was. The goal now is to win, nothing more, because winning means the corporatocracy will keep filling their coffers and it is a big continual cycle.

I certainly agree that winning trumps all for them.