Message #324511

[KnightsFan]

Well, several things have happened.
1. Apathy. People no longer seem to care about politics, which is why voter turnout is at an all-time low - well under 50%.
2. Of the people who vote, most are uneducated politically. They vote along party lines because their family or neighbors do. No one actually knows what their candidate stands for.
3. Rise of super-corporations. Since the 60's, income of the middle class has risen by a few percent (adjusted for inflation). CEO income has risen by several hundred percent - 23% raise in 2010 alone.
4. Lobbyists who have an inordinate amount of control over politics.
5. Lawyers who can do things like tax evasions, medical lawsuits and other wasteful practices
6. Millisecond stock market trading that doesn't add any long-term value to the stock market, and can hardly be termed investment.
7. Possibly worst, we're seeing extreme polarization of the parties and little attempt at creating independent parties or bipartisan legislation.

I could go on for a while.