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Bucky

(54,275 posts)

4. And yet...

Reply to Nevilledog (Original post)

Sun Mar 17, 2024, 02:49 PM

Mar 2024

In a democracy, elected representatives listen to constituents.

As a government and economics teacher, I make these kind of generalizations all the time.
Let's be honest. In our democracy the elected representatives mostly listen to their donors. We the taxpayers only give MCs $174,000 a year. Fundraisers and lobbyists pay them millions, plus junkets, speeches, hookers, future contacts, and often a big fat job offer to join a lobbying firm at the end of their tenure. So who's really paying their salary?

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24 replies

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Highlight:

Timothy Snyder: The Strongman Fantasy [View all] Nevilledog Mar 2024 OP

Strongmen are, oddly enough, never quite strong enough to defeat all of the "enemy" Silent3 Mar 2024 #1

It's always "Them", "the Outsider", "the Other" JoseBalow Mar 2024 #5

Snyder has such a sharp view of the world and these conflicts. erronis Mar 2024 #2

"When you vote a strong man in, you vote out the rule of law" dalton99a Mar 2024 #3

The only problem with your argument is that it is based on intelligence and logic world wide wally Mar 2024 #8

And yet... Bucky Mar 2024 #4

yet there are some limits to what an elected official can do MadameButterfly Mar 2024 #6

Re: your last paragraph Bucky Mar 2024 #9

OK, I get your point that the current system needs some work MadameButterfly Mar 2024 #11

Don't need a strongman to get things done, need to vote blue for all branches Bev54 Mar 2024 #7

". . .watch it all get done. . ."? Not quite. DinahMoeHum Mar 2024 #17

This is brilliant, as always from Snyder but I wish he'd focus more on the economy and "getting things done" MadameButterfly Mar 2024 #10

This is one of the most important posts I've ever seen on DU. stage left Mar 2024 #12

Well said Neville...... DENVERPOPS Mar 2024 #13

It was Lord Acton Ping Tung Mar 2024 #15

Another good one!!!!!!! DENVERPOPS Mar 2024 #21

Jimmy was the best president of my lifetime. Ping Tung Mar 2024 #23

History seams to repeat itself. Dave Bowman Mar 2024 #14

human nature is intractable. mopinko Mar 2024 #24

And they are inept at governing ThoughtCriminal Mar 2024 #16

Thank you. ancianita Mar 2024 #18

Plato's Republic covers this IbogaProject Mar 2024 #19

Snyder is absolutely right on. ShazzieB Mar 2024 #20

It's very sad that we have to implore fellow citizens not to vote for a dictator. yardwork Mar 2024 #22