It's The Elite Who Are Corrupt

King Features Syndicate ^ | 06/10/02 | Charley Reese

[GalvestonBeachcomber]

Most Americans are so steeped in egalitarian thinking that they like to delude themselves that they share in running the country. We ordinary folks, in fact, don't run the country and have a slim-to-none chance of even influencing its direction.

Thomas R. Dye, a professor at Florida State University, has made a study of power. Since power in our country resides in institutions, he defines individuals with power as those who occupy the top positions in the government and in corporate, legal, educational, civic and cultural institutions.

He found that there are only about 7,000 of these positions in the entire United States, and some individuals occupy more than one of them. It might sound unbelievable at first, but if you think about it, you will see that it is true.

In a newspaper, for example, there is one position of power: the publisher. Now, he delegates some of his power to other people, but everyone knows that all decisions are ultimately his and his alone.

In the federal government there are only 546 positions of power. These include the president, the vice president, members of the House and Senate and the nine members of the Supreme Court. One hundred percent of the power of the federal government resides in these individuals who occupy the 546 positions. Everybody below them operates with delegated power. That is so because all power of the federal government comes from the Constitution, and these are the only constitutional offices. I don't include federal-, district- and appellate-court judges because any decision they make can be overturned by the Supreme Court.

So the individuals who occupy these 7,000 positions of power are the elite who run the country. Therefore, it is the character of these members of the elite that will determine the character of the country. What you see in government policies, in cultural products and in education policies are the direct result of the decisions made by this relatively small elite.

History affirms this. The reason America did not follow the usual path of revolution to dictatorship was solely the result of the character of one man, George Washington. Washington could have easily made himself dictator, and many of the officers in his army wanted him to do just that. But Washington's character would not allow it.

When the elite who run a country have good morals and high standards, then you have a good country. If the elite become corrupt, you have a corrupt country. The vulgarity, profanity and violence you see in entertainment are there only because those individuals occupying the positions of power in the entertainment industry said "Yes." If they said "No," those things would disappear from the screens and the magazine racks.

Our problem is that most of our elite have become corrupted. Many are nihilistic and hedonistic. The leadership of a country always leads the masses, and they can lead them to high ground or into the swamps. And there's not much I can see that ordinary people can do about it.

I have to confess that I have lost my Jeffersonian faith in the people. All I have ever seen them do, save for a few individuals, is follow like dogs whoever happened to be in leadership positions at the time.

Given the moral and intellectual climate at most of the elite universities our future leaders will attend, I don't have an optimistic outlook for the future of the country.

[GalvestonBeachcomber]

The road to hell is comfortably paved, slightly down hill and with no mile markers -- excellent for the sheeple.

[claptrap]

Sound logic in your observation, but remember there is a ray of hope for the enlightened although the way is narrow. Remember dont throw your perals to swine lest they trample them turn and tear you asunder!

[DoughtyOne]

This is the same gulash that inspired the inception of the Soviet Union. If the populace doesn't like what's being done to them, they should vote out the crooks. Evidently people don't mind so much eh?

[billybudd]

So, your response to any statement you disagree with is to eliminate it from existence. How about telling us why Charley here is wrong, instead of wishing the thread gets pulled?

[claptrap]

Sponsman your opaque goggles are quite becoming!

[Cultural Jihad]

Thanks for posting. The culture used to be democratic, but not anymore. Now all the cultural power is wielded by a handful of powerful moral-liberals in the media, the universities, and the entertainment industries, who have expropriated it. We can end the WOD overnight by arresting these 500 elitists who are making a buck off of the misery of others.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

fyi

[Jimbaugh]

GREAT POST ! ! !

[Texasforever]

The surest way to out a complete loser is when they use the term "elite". Not only does it smack of a whining "loser in like's lottery" it also is right out of Das Capital

[Texasforever]

like's =life's

[Cacique]

Bookmark bump

Nothing new here. Political scientists and Machiavelli knew all of this a long time ago.

However, the people do eventually have a great deal of influence. When they tire of the direction of the country they revolt. You can't keep stretching a rubber band, it ventually snaps.

[A6M3]

This observation really isn't true because the elected officials are elected by the people and in so doing the people delegate their power to their elected representatives. If our representatives are corrupt and it is known to their constituents and they keep electing them then it means the people are just as corrupt. The election and re-election of clinton is a classic example. In the United States a continually and openly corrupt government is a reflection of the moral character of the people who elect them.

[Cultural Jihad]

Businessmen used to pride themselves on their responsibility to the community in which they did business, but no more. They have all but renounced their moral leadership for short-term gain, but will end up paying for it in the long run. As an example, by not speaking out againt teenaged promiscuity, businesses will be forced to provide day care to their future workforce.

[billybudd]

So the Free Republic has turned into a corrupt internet empire?

[rvoitier]

The Vision of the Anointed: Self-Congratulation As a Basis for Social Policy by Thomas Sowell.

[Cultural Jihad]

It has always been my view that if everyone looked after themselves as opposed to worrying about "the community," we'd all be much better off.

Of course, businessmen are a prime example of how they are not apart from the community in which they do business, and how their own success is dependent upon the success of others in the community. How can they depend on a workforce which is semi-literate but well-versed in the modern schemes of self-esteem? How can they manage the costs of doing business when a large chunk of their medical benefits they and their employees have to pay are going for the medical costs of self-inflicted diseases which shouldn't have to be a burden on society at all? Then there's the costs of treating all the emotional problems of the children growing up in broken homes, where both parents are not there for them. Again, our society has a whole bunch of needs, and we really can't afford to allow this moral-liberalism to go unchecked. Some businesses are thriving in this moral slide, the abortion industry, the pornographers, the mass media and entertainment industries. But really they are passing on the costs of doing their nefarious business onto others, which should not be tolerated.

[zadok]

"It's The Elite Who Are Corrupt"

Actually, every human being is corrupt.

[GalvestonBeachcomber]

That's the beauty of America, as of now, every vote counts equally. This won't be the case if we keep electing crypto-socialists into office; but at this time, my vote is just as important as the vote of Bill Gates. The powerful control the nomination process so it does not matter who you vote for, you still get an elitest.

[brat]

"The powerful control the nomination process so it does not matter who you vote for, you still get an elitest."

I agree. I think this guy has a point. Business is an essential part of our nation. But business has run amok, its controllers only interested in extreme profit, no other considerations. Its gutting this country. I'm told that gut wounds are the worst, resulting in a long, painful death. Thats what is happening to our country. We are being gutted by the extreme greed of the top. Add to that the Left's indoctrination of our society by their elites and we have a lethal mix, IMHO, none of it good for the survival of this once great land.

[SteamshipTime]

every vote counts equally

The fatal flaw of all democracies is that eventually, the net tax consumers outnumber the net tax producers. That's why the nation's net tax producers are over $6 trillion in debt.

The nation's founders were completely correct in restricting the franchise to a minority of the populace.

[SteamshipTime]

In times past, only the elite were allowed to vote, which is why the elite then were far different than the elite now.

Democracy is the reason the nation's net tax producers are $6 trillion in debt.

[friendly]

"The road to hell is comfortably paved, slightly down hill and with no mile markers"

Thanks for one of the more memorable quotes.. I am going to remember this quote and use it.

[GalvestonBeachcomber]

heads up

[Budge]

"The road to hell is comfortably paved, slightly down hill and with no mile markers"

Excellent observation.

Interesting discussion in the thread, to say the least.

[madfly]

bump

[185JHP]

DeTocqueville's statement couldn't be more correct: "America is a great country because Amerca is a good country. If America ever ceases to be a good country, she will cease to be a great country." (Not an exact quote) It doesn't matter whether you use the word "elite" in a pejorative/resentful way - leaders are important - always have been. That's why the "It's only about sex!" mantra was so offensive - and so tendentious.

[Billy_bob_bob]

"Don't be anti-elitist; be one of the elite."

I hope that someday you have the opportunity to have dealings with some of the "elite", and have something of considerable value up for contention. Let me give you a handy dandy phrase to remember while you are being, ahem, "educated".

"No candy, no flowers, no lube". This is the motto of the American ruling classes. Screw them all.

[Billy_bob_bob]

I have TONS of respect for the people who worked their way to the top. I have NO respect whatsoever for those who lied, cheated and stole their way to the top. Unfortunantly, we live in an era where far too many of the "elites" are in the latter category instead of the former.

[rvoitier]

I've just gotten into the book and you're right about the elite thinking they know more than the 'common man.' Maybe they do but at least the common man is open to hear what they have to say where the elite not only hold disdain for anyone disagreeing with them but go the extra step to demonize and denegrate him. Proof and facts to the contrary of their visions don't stop them in their quest or direction.

[nopardons]

When wasn't that true ? Some people , from time immemorial , have lied and cheated their way to the top; some haven't.

[vox1138]

Time to practice vigilance. Point taken. Thank you.

[Dat]

Most people who complain about the elite are disappointed that they are not the elite. Given the chance they would be just as "corrupt" as the people they rail against.

[philetus]

Dem gets in,takes away a little freedom.
Rep gets in, damned if he don't take away a little more.
Let's try a dem again,whoops, there goes some more freedoms.

The rich elite become more and more able to do whatever they please,and get away with it.

The average man/woman gets more likely to go to prison for something thats supposed to be legal.

[Uncle Bill]

"The surest way to out a complete loser is when they use the term "elite". Not only does it smack of a whining "loser in like's lottery" it also is right out of Das Capital"
11 posted on 6/9/02 11:04 PM Pacific by Texasforever

---

"It's time we asked ourselves if we still know the freedoms intended for us by the Founding Fathers. James Madison said, "We base all our experiments on the capacity of mankind for self government."

This idea? that government was beholden to the people, that it had no other source of power is still the newest, most unique idea in all the long history of man's relation to man. This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves."
President Ronald Reagan - A Time for Choosing, aka The Speech. Source

[Texasforever]

This idea? that government was beholden to the people, that it had no other source of power is still the newest, most unique idea in all the long history of man's relation to man. This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves."

I can play your little game all night.

[nopardons]

No ; you aren't correct at all. Skakel just got convicted, as have many , whom you would call " elite ".

Just to be certain that we understand each other, whom do you consider to be " elite " ?