by Paul Craig Roberts

Self-rule pretends to exist, because people vote.  People might get the candidates for whom they voted, although we know that that was not the case in the past two national elections.  It is easy for big city machines to steal the vote as was proved in Biden's "election" and the last Arizona "election" for governor.

Even if the elections are fair and the candidates who win are declared winners, it doesn't mean that the people are represented.  The reason is that the representative, senator, governor, and president elected knows that his success depended on large campaign contributors, such as pharmaceutical companies, the military-security complex, energy, mining, and timber corporations, agribusiness, real estate developers, etc.  Unless a candidate is a billionaire, it is impossible for him to run unless he has large contributors intent on having their interests served.

This means that the interests of large campaign contributors come first.  They are the ones who originate bills and control the outcomes with lobbying.  We also know that every regulatory agency is captured by the group that is being regulated.  For example, the Covid protocols and "vaccine" mandates proved that the NIH, CDC, and FDA are marketing agents for Big Pharma, not protecters of the public's health.  Why do you think that America alone is always at war?  It is because of profits for the armaments corporations.  Washington has institutionalized three formidable enemies–Russia, China, and Iran–and that guarantees the budget and power of the military/security complex.

Americans cannot govern themselves because an oligarchy governs through campaign contributions. A crazed, indeed one could say treasonous, US Supreme Court destroyed all accountability of government to the people in 2010 with its Citizens United ruling that legalized the private purchase of government by removing limits on campaign contributions in the name of free speech, a ruling that turned corporations into people.  Much has been written about this  nonsensical ruling.  You can find plenty to read about the ruling on your own.

In an article in the City Journal (Winter 2023) Martin Gurri describes a constellation of forces that block a popular agenda, by which he means one that the majority of voters wants.  Gurri understands that legitimacy is what citizens bestow on government, not what government bestows on citizens, but that is not the way government works.  Everywhere in the Western World government of every country ignores what the people want.  No population in Europe wants to be drawn into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.  Not a single government cares.  No population wants to be overrun by immigrant-invaders.  Not a single government cares. All over the Western world there were strong protests against mandatory Covid vaccination, lockdowns, mask mandates, Covid passports, and only Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida paid any attention.  The people are against censorship, but it exists. 

Americans cannot govern themselves because an oligarchy governs through campaign contributions. A crazed, indeed one could say treasonous, US Supreme Court destroyed all accountability of government to the people in 2010 with its Citizens United ruling that legalized the private purchase of government by removing limits on campaign contributions in the name of free speech, a ruling that turned corporations into people.  Much has been written about this  nonsensical ruling.  You can find plenty to read about the ruling on your own.

In an article in the City Journal (Winter 2023) Martin Gurri describes a constellation of forces that block a popular agenda, by which he means one that the majority of voters wants.  Gurri understands that legitimacy is what citizens bestow on government, not what government bestows on citizens, but that is not the way government works.  Everywhere in the Western World government of every country ignores what the people want.  No population in Europe wants to be drawn into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.  Not a single government cares.  No population wants to be overrun by immigrant-invaders.  Not a single government cares. All over the Western world there were strong protests against mandatory Covid vaccination, lockdowns, mask mandates, Covid passports, and only Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida paid any attention.  The people are against censorship, but it exists.