A study by Princeton and Northwestern universities shows that a small group of elite have control over the general population and the government only supports the rich and powerful while the masses have no say whatsoever. The 42 page report concludes "we believe that if policymaking is dominated by powerful business organizations and a small number of affluent Americans, then America's claims to being a democratic society are seriously threatened."
(Score: 5, Informative) by SuddenOutbreak on Thursday April 17 2014, @01:51PM
You raise some good examples, and I'm not sure why you got a down-vote.
To counter a couple, the VRA was quite a while ago, the Do Not Call registry largely affects small business and has loopholes bit enough to drive a truck through, and while SOPA disappeared, it's coming back piecemeal anyway.
The actual paper is pretty well-organized, and while a handful of counter-examples are interesting, the paper points out a pretty strong trend with correlation. Recent news stories alone have been getting a pattern: "while over 70% of all Americans want 'x', no bill has ever entered Congress" - gun control, minimum wage, marijuana legalization, abortion rights,... the list is pretty long.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Crosscompiler on Thursday April 17 2014, @02:17PM
They are not really counter-examples.
1) Changes noting except pecking order among the serfs.
2) / 3) Investigate exactly who made money off of each, who is excluded from compliance, and who is allowed to ignore with impunity. 911 and "internet to libraries and schools" were two examples I saw personally.
4) Much of SOPA+ is in force. Informing the public what the laws are is so 1963.