While I essentially agree with you, we have entered a vulgar capitalist era where the links between government and capital are so embedded as to render any effective oversight impossible.
In a better system, the checks and balances between (1) the people, (2) the government, and (3) industry made the capitalist system viable. But as Calvin Coolidge said, “the business of America is business” (1925). To me, this renders parts 2 and 3 of the checks and balances structure unified and therefore insouciant if the people.
Thinking out loud, I get the sense that this is a new form of caveat emptor. That is, let the people beware, but not of products, rather of government and industry.
I am therefore rather pessimistic unless a wholesale economic and political upheaval occur. There is too much at stake for the elite and too many poor folks are mesmerized by and inculcated into the hegemony of the American myth.
I believe it will be very difficult to fix this mess with the current political climate. Government needs to have the best interest of the people and the current political structure is not for the good of the people, but the good of the elected official first, and his party second. It is more about what will get him re-elected rather that what is good for the country. And with the current election funding, it is about his donors who in many cases can not even vote for him because they do not live in his district or even state. (Look at how much out of state money came into GA and FL during the last election, especially for the senate.) Before we start reforming capitalism, we need to reform government.
Modified Capitalism + capitalist w a dash of regulation.
While I essentially agree with you, we have entered a vulgar capitalist era where the links between government and capital are so embedded as to render any effective oversight impossible.
In a better system, the checks and balances between (1) the people, (2) the government, and (3) industry made the capitalist system viable. But as Calvin Coolidge said, “the business of America is business” (1925). To me, this renders parts 2 and 3 of the checks and balances structure unified and therefore insouciant if the people.
Thinking out loud, I get the sense that this is a new form of caveat emptor. That is, let the people beware, but not of products, rather of government and industry.
I am therefore rather pessimistic unless a wholesale economic and political upheaval occur. There is too much at stake for the elite and too many poor folks are mesmerized by and inculcated into the hegemony of the American myth.
PS. When I say American, I mean U.S. American.
I believe it will be very difficult to fix this mess with the current political climate. Government needs to have the best interest of the people and the current political structure is not for the good of the people, but the good of the elected official first, and his party second. It is more about what will get him re-elected rather that what is good for the country. And with the current election funding, it is about his donors who in many cases can not even vote for him because they do not live in his district or even state. (Look at how much out of state money came into GA and FL during the last election, especially for the senate.) Before we start reforming capitalism, we need to reform government.