Corruption is Legal in America

Summary

The script discusses a study by Princeton University that reveals the disconnect between public opinion and government action in America. It shows how popular support for ideas has little impact on policy, while the wealthy and corporations wield significant influence. The video explains how lobbying and political donations allow special interests to shape laws for their benefit, costing taxpayers and leading to issues like high healthcare costs, a flawed tax code, and poverty. It concludes by suggesting that the public must take action to address this legalized corruption.

Takeaways

• 📊 Princeton University researchers analyzed 20 years of data to assess if the U.S. government represents the people.
• 🤔 The study found that public support for policies has little to no impact on whether Congress passes laws reflecting those ideas.
• 📉 Even ideas with no public support have a 30% chance of becoming law, suggesting a disconnect between public opinion and legislative action.
• 💸 Economic elites and business interests have a significant influence on government decisions, much closer to the ideal representation.
• 💵 It's legally permissible in the U.S. for wealthy entities to buy political influence, which often results in policies that benefit them.
• 🏦 Lobbyists can effectively write laws that benefit their clients, even if these laws are unpopular with the public.
• 💼 Lobbyists can offer politicians lucrative jobs and campaign contributions to secure their support for certain legislation.
• 💵 The top 200 politically active companies spent $5.8 billion on influencing the government and received $4.4 trillion in taxpayer support.
• 🔍 Corruption is legal in America, and as long as it remains so, those with money can continue to buy political influence.
• 🛠️ The solution proposed is to make corruption illegal and empower the American people to fix the system themselves.

Q & A

What was the main question the researchers at Princeton University sought to answer?

The researchers aimed to determine whether the government represents the people, by examining the correlation between public support for ideas and the likelihood of Congress passing laws reflecting those ideas.

How did the Princeton study graphically represent the ideal relationship between public support and law-making?

In an ideal Republic, the graph would show a direct proportionality where if 50% of the public supports an idea, there's a 50% chance of it becoming law, and if 80% support it, there's an 80% chance, and so on.

What did the study find about the influence of the average American's preferences on public policy?

The study found that the preferences of the average American have a minuscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy.

How does the graph in the Princeton study differ for the bottom 90% of income earners compared to economic elites?

The graph shows a flat line for the bottom 90% of income earners, indicating their preferences have little to no impact on law-making, while economic elites have a line much closer to the ideal, showing a high likelihood of their desired policies becoming law.

What are some of the consequences mentioned in the script for the current system of political influence?

The script mentions consequences such as the most expensive healthcare, a complex tax code, slower and more expensive internet, wasteful spending, a floundering education system, a catastrophic drug war, and high rates of child poverty.

How does the script describe the process of a special interest influencing a bill to become a law?

The script outlines a process where a special interest hires lobbyists who collect campaign contributions, offer jobs, and write laws that benefit the interest, which are then passed by politicians they've influenced.

What is the total amount of money the top 200 politically active companies spent on influencing the government in the last five years according to the script?

The script states that the top 200 politically active companies spent $5.8 billion on influencing the government in the last five years.

What did those same companies receive in return for their influence spending, as mentioned in the script?

In return for their $5.8 billion in influence spending, those companies received $4.4 trillion in taxpayer support.

What is the solution proposed in the script to address the issue of legal corruption in America?

The solution proposed is to make corruption illegal, but acknowledging that Congress is unlikely to enact this change, the script suggests a plan that allows the American people to bypass Congress and fix the system themselves.

What does the script suggest about the current state of political influence and the need for change?

The script suggests that corruption is legal in America and as long as it remains so, those who can afford to buy political influence will continue to do so, highlighting the need for a change in the system to make corruption illegal and allow for more direct public involvement in policy-making.