As I see it.
 

Many of us see the Government as power Hungry.

What few see is who actually has the Power.

The Elite, The Global Elite, the Fabulous Wealthy have that Power.

This is not a Anti-Rich thread or at least not intended top be.

Just sharing a observation.

I've witnessed people who where bought not with money but just the hope of the money.
People are easily bought and there derives the power.
When you control Industry, and again people are easily bought.
That is to say you do not have to have control of a company, just influence in Officer of said company.
Or that Official looking to better themselves or a "Friend"
Even wars are all Economics now, we've been fighting a few for a very long time.

So if you want to know who is calling the shots, Find those names and they are the Fabled "THEY" you always hear about.

Sometimes these rats in Office get to much credit, but you will never see those elite try for office save to skew a election to guarantee their dog a home.

think about it, I've thought a bit how to convey this and hope I've succeeded.

It may put a different spin on how you view things with this perspective.

You did a very good job.

The problem is how to you find the 'they'. I think, this is a global elite and 'they' are much harder to see. Some of them are here in our country, and are very familiar to us. We don't tend to think of them in those terms, because they are so familiar. If you do enough reading, listening and watching, we can know them, if we look.
Some we will never hear their names.
I believe there are those in our country who believe they are part of the 'elite' and they are being used. When the great division takes place, a lot of those who were used are going to be very surprised, I think.

I would add - it has nothing to do with Rep/Dem, or Lib/Cons - they are all bought and paid for and do the bidding. They just have different scripts in this burlesque show.

Sometimes it is money, or hope of money. Some times, I believe, it is even more sinister -

Our government is just a means to an end. I think the US will be nothing more than a police force used by the "elite" to control world events. A real good place to start is the Bilderberg Group to find out who "they" are. See who attends that and follow from there. Another place to check is to see who holds controlling interest in the 147 corporations that own 40% of the businesses in the world. I think things are to far gone to turn it around. A lot of people still believe that something like this could never happen in the US. The country is too divided and you need to have a united front to fight this battle.

Some people want power. In the US, and most of the world, money is power therefore there are people out there who will do anything necessary to get or keep money.

Sounds about right to me -

But aren't we already the world's police force, grabbing wealth and resources for the elite.

I read, possibly fiction book, a man said in the future, there would be no government - we would be back in the dark ages with the feudal system. The only difference would be the corporations would be the lords rather than people. The armies would be paid mercenaries, working for which ever side would pay them.

"Don't be surprised when Coca-Cola demands a seat at the UN."

It has always been that way throughout history. Everywhere. They are the Power Elite at the top of a pyramid, while the politicians and governments and religious leaders are somewhere in the upper middle of the pyramid, they are the tools of the power elite and then there's the masses, the general public who are at the bottom 3/4ths of the pyramid supporting the whole structure.

You might find this text an interesting read, an explanation about the Power Elite and their characteristics. The article is focusing mostly on USA of course because it was written by American political scientists and students, but the Power Elite are everywhere in every country, they all know each other and they do combine to form a global entity.

http://www.udel.edu/htr/Psc105/Texts/power.html


http://www.loablog.com/blog/wp-conte...te_pyramid.jpg

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Yes and the biggest problem is that the middle is shrinking and the bottom is growing.

There are a few reasons for this happening which no one wants to talk about.
to me the policies that were either put in place or taken out during the 80's seem to all have a future purpose.
Harmless at the time we thought but now we see they have had terrible consequences.
Sherman act
WTO
NAFTA
Fairness Doctrine
And most problematic was repealing of the Tillman Act by the Supreme Court in 2010.
I am sure there are more but I will have to look them up.

One of the things that influences our elections - people- and helps the agenda is the
ownership of most of our media by a very few - and corporations at that.

At one time, there were laws limiting the ownership of media - print, radio and TV -

There are a lot of things not made into law - just done - that has added to this.

Sorry Downhome, not trying to be antagonistic or argumentative with you but the fact is it HAS always been that way, gone from a small scale to a larger scale depending on the increasing population size. You can even find references by other names to what we now call the "power elite" in the old testament bible, in old Roman history, in old Prussian and Celtic history and even as far back in the recorded history of Eqypt and China which goes back 6,000 years and 10,000 years respectively. There is much talk about the power elite in old occult (occult means hidden) grimoires and in revelations of the Masonic Orders, the Rosicrucians, other magical or spiritual orders, even what is recorded by Hermes Trismegistus about the pre-Atlantean times, etc. The power elite have always existed, they're just bigger and more sophisticated and wide spread now than what they were 2,000, 6,000 or 10,000 years ago.

We (you and I) are all mere pawns on their game board. There's nothing we can do about it, it's just the way it is and always has been. Probably always will be.

:shrug:

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You miss my point...

Money has not always been the controlling factor.
but it does make it much easier to control.
more so as time goes on.
I can't just come and relive you of your money by simply killing you, in the past I very well may of.
Power,resources , whatever gave you a upper hand and control.
There has only been a Elite since civilization, and many cultures did not have such a thing.
Sometimes though those elite where for Religious reasons, other times because of the force they wielded, its not always been backed by money.
I think many students of history though can trace the mentality behind it though.
We have not Changed so much and many of the notions even today are as ancient as is Civilization.
I suppose its one of the things that makes us Human.

Of coarse upon reflection I suppose "True Power" still comes into play.
That is he with the bigger Army wins.

Its a Game NL, Well it may very well be the way it is, we can do something.
We don't have to play.
Or Ignore the rules, take your chances and give another player a chance to sway the outcome.

Unfortunately if we don't play they most certainly will win.

I disagree.

Most of those that have the power and wealth, got it bacuse they wanted it bad enough, not becuase they were "elite". They got it through ambition and yes, hard work, not necessarily the physical kind.

The process is simple.

One runs for County Councilman and a small local paving contractor, helps pay for your yard signs. A few year later, they run for Mayor and the contractor contributes to the campaign. Who gets preference, when the city streets need repaved?

Move it right up the line.

Barack Obama, was just another nothing, "radical"college kid, but he forged political relationships, that helped him get elected to POTUS, 30 years later. He was not "elite", in his younger years.

Sara Palin did the exact same thing. She stared as City councilman. If she had not lost her Political nerve and continued to gain more experience - IN TIME, she could have had the chops and most likely the influence, to eventually get the POTUS spot. Even now she is still a well-connected politically , wealthy, famous political pundit.

Warren Buffet sold products, door to door as a kid, before emerging into the world, of finance, where he devoted his entire life to perfecting his investing skills. He didn't work hard, for his billions?

Bill Gates could have simply sold his DOS copyrights to IBM, retired and called it good, but with his drive and ambition, including vision for the future, left him wanting much more.

People get wealthy and powerful, because they want to, bad enough.

We all could do the same - if we wanted to.

Instead, we just despise those that do.

Not so, again not bashing the Rich here.
There is a reason the term old money was coined, yes pun intended.
Yes some get ahead but many are born into Money,Power and Influence.
Some of the few that get ahead do not do it through playing nice either.
Many a Obstacle layed for those who do try the "Righteous" path to success.
So I can understand playing dirty.
In fact I've been very aware of that tendency in people since Kindergarden.

I used the term "Elite" because its a private Club, much like small town America.

Your Example only demonstrates my point, but thats really just small potato's in the Big picture.
But most contracts are awarded on a bid system.
Obama, Palin Both sock puppets and not the "Elite' I refer to.
Buffet well he has enough money they want him in the club.

Gates does too but I think they do not want him in the club, Remember that Anti-Monopoly case against Microsoft.It also helped to sink a lot of up and coming E business that threatened the Traditional models, then there was a in rush into the E venue from those Brick and Mortars business trying to lock it up. Prior to the large profits most shunned the Internet.

Play by the Rules,that is don't rock the boat and you can go far. Go against the Status qoa and someones going to bite you in the but.

Steff playing the Game is a Loosing proposition, its like three card monty or the shell game.
Its set up to keep those at the top at the top.
Money and the Financial systems are key to the whole thing.
For Every person that succeeds there are many that loose.
With out that the system would not work.
It is Integral.

Most of those that have the power and wealth, got it bacuse they wanted it bad enough, not becuase they were "elite". They got it through ambition and yes, hard work, not necessarily the physical kind.

I disagree, they were given it through things like Citizens United, and the Sherman Anti Trust Act. These things paved the way for the very wealthy to get even wealthier.
I think some of these folks have been planning this for a long time. Slowly turning the tide their way through subtle un assuming legislation.

The Sherman Anti Trust Act, made it illegal to form monopolies and cartels.

How did this legislation, make the "wealthy more wealthier"?

Occupy was trying to open people's eyes and make them realize exactly this.... As a whole, they weren't complaining about being poor, but rather tired of being ruled and oppressed by the power of the rich.....

Class warfare was a word tossed around a lot.... It had a certain political correctness sound to it to help stop people from bashing the ways of the rich as much....

Occupy is gone.... some people have fallen back asleep..... but it's good to see someone starting to get it...

Many of them could easily be considered narcissistic megalomaniacs. A huge majority of them used less than ethical ways to get there. Most of them have squashed people who got in the way..... It's the hunger for power that fuels most of the ultra rich. To them, money is the ammo of power.

Their sole agenda is to keep people a slave to their innovations and visions....

You are only making assumptions here, but I would agree, the the most of the traits you mention, are probably present - in some level, in nearly everyone, who wants to become financially successful.

When Reagan eliminated it caused the problem.
Sorry I was not clear in the other post.

I agree most, who weren't born into it, did get it because they wanted it very badly. That makes them neither bad nor good. It's how they satisfied that desire that matters.

Yes, many started on the local political level. You can be 'elite' in whatever size pond you are swimming. If you are a councilman, you can push to take over people's property so Wal Mart can put in a store or see they get a tax abatement and utility breaks, that's gets you a kickback. That's the power of your 'elite' position.

Wal Mart is using it's 'elite' power as well.

Speaking for myself and a lot of others I know, we don't 'despise' those whose desire pushes them to get their wealth honestly.

I know, for some reason, the popular stance today is to defend the wealthy - no matter. That's as bad and wrong as saying all poor are bad.

To attempt to silence discussion on this subject by saying people 'hate the rich', 'despise the rich', or 'envy the rich' - is just wrong. It really is. I'm not sure where all that stuff came from - I'm beginning to wonder.

The "Elite" or "Rich" are not what I dislike, but rather their misuse of what is meant to be neutral or the commons. The ability to buy their way into doing what they want. Again Citizens United furthered that cause.

There are plenty of wealthy people and corporations Not buying politicians.