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xchrom

(108,903 posts)
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 06:48 AM Dec 2012

6 Things Money Shouldn’t Be Able to Buy

http://www.alternet.org/economy/6-things-money-shouldnt-be-able-buy



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1. Prison Cell Upgrade

In America’s two-tiered justice system, the rich get access to high-priced attorneys and special privileges, even in the form of a more comfortable prison cell.

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2. Internships

It has long been easier for children of the wealthy to secure internships in hot industries, whether through the indirect financial contributions of their parents or the luxury of being able to take unpaid positions. But outright purchase? That's the new normal.

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3. Leadership Positions in Congress

No other legislature in the developed world does it. But in America, congressional parties now post prices for key slots on committees. It wasn’t always so, but in the last few decades, the old seniority system that used to govern leadership selection and committee assignments has been swept away. As political scientist Thomas Ferguson explains , “In its place, the parties copied practices of big-box retailers like Walmart, Best Buy or Target…You want it – you buy it.”

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4. Airport Security Checks

While the folks in coach are standing in long lines, wealthy customers zip through security at lightning speed. Why? Because they can afford to.
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