The Parlous Plight of Plutocracy

The Times They Are A Changin'

For years, if not decades, professional political prognosticators have been heralding a new age of politics where money is not the necessary and sufficient ingredient to gaining and holding political power.  Has that age at last arrived?

The most promising avatar of the fiscal deconstruction of an elite ruling upper class has been the information revolution made possible by the internet and social media.  These radical change agents have undermined the establishment media, introduced new and different voices into national conversations, and facilitated ordinary citizens being able to broadcast their beliefs and opinions.

It is far too soon to farewell the monied control of national politics and government in the West.  We probably need to go through several election cycles to be sure that the electoral events of 2016 were not outliers, but the new mainstream.  But it would be a great achievement if Western nations finally unshackled themselves from the evil of plutocracies, along with the elitist establishments they inevitably produce.  We remain sceptical, yet curious.

A passing fad?  An outlier? An aberration?

Palin and Crony Capitalism

Facing Off With Smaug and His Treasures

One of the things we have always appreciated about Sarah Palin is her commitment to fighting against corruption and crony capitalism in government and politics.  She fearlessly takes on vested and corrupted interests in her own party, let alone the Democrats. 

Recently, a group of nouveau riche Wall Streeters complained to Republican establishment doyens (otherwise known as Beltway Barnacles) that they found offensive the present Republican Congress's refusal to fund Obama's move to socialise medical care in the United States.  When the Roman Republic became the plaything of wealthy patricians and venal plutocrats, its demise was inevitable.  So will pass the United States.  "We the people" will be replaced by "We the entitled". 

Sarah Palin recently called the them out.  She has a different moral and ethical compass--as revealed in this Breitbart piece.