ANALYSIS/OPINION:
A December 2020 Gallup revealed that over 75% of Americans have little respect for Congress. Among the reasons: Congress does not serve the interests of the American people, only the lobbyists of special-interest groups, big corporations and the very rich; and it’s made up of elected officials who spend all their time fundraising for their elections.
Congressmen and -women, senators and presidents need to raise millions of dollars if they hope to be elected. President Biden raised more than $1 billion in the most recent presidential election. Elected American officials are totally beholden to the contributors to their next electoral efforts. Because of this, Congress totally ignores the genuine interests of most of the American people.
The reality is that both Democratic and Republican politicians have voted to outsource the best American jobs to Asia and Mexico, and this has resulted in a total lack of advancement in the average American’s standard of living over the past 25 years. In contrast to this grim fact, America’s top 1% has never been richer, as its members now control over 50% of the nation’s wealth. Millions of Americans are in poverty and cannot afford health insurance, access to a higher education, adequate housing or adequate food on the table.
Since the founding of the U.S. in 1776, the country has been at war or involved in numerous coups d’etats most of the time. These costly, murderous and unnecessary wars were approved by Congresses and presidents — with zero benefit to the American people.
Those who recently rioted in Washington were crying out in desperation at a plutocracy.
MORRIS GIVNER
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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