I found a seven minute video that offers an interesting analysis of "power" as it is related to our political system. I think it is worth viewing; it will provoke some outside-the-box thinking.
As you watch, however, keep in mind the following:
Politics is all about how people manage the concentration of power in any system. Myriad decisions must be made in every large collectivity and it is impossible for all members to participate equally in each and every one of them. Consider the many collective resources that we all utilize: waste removal and clean-up, water purification and delivery, electrical generation, road construction and maintenance. This list is long and increasingly convoluted.
And because it is impossible for everyone to have a say in every aspect of collective (i.e., governmental) services, we must find ways for individuals and groups to "represent" the interests of the collectivity as a whole. Think about how EVERY organization has leaders who meet and make untold numbers of decisions on behalf of the that organization. There are always too many decisions to make for us to arrange an organization (or collectivity) in any other way.
But how do we select those representatives? How do we decide which individuals or groups will sit at the head of the table and think and act on everyone's behalf?
For most government positions in the U.S. we do this with elections. But how do we determine who has an opportunity to run for one of these positions? If they meet select criteria such as certain minimum age requirements or legal residency of a state or district, any citizen is eligible to run for any office. All they need to do is get their name out to the voting populace and convince those people to vote for them.
And that's the difficult part, of course, because that requires money--lots of money for major elections (i.e., positions of greater power). People who are wealthy can largely self-finance their elections on their own (e.g., Mayor Bloomberg in New York City who is a billionaire) while people without money can turn to other individuals and groups for help. Turning to masses of individuals is ideal--get everyone involved and expand the democratic base--but it takes a lot of effort and upfront money to convince isolated people to donate small amounts of cash. So what generally happens is that candidates turn to fewer numbers of wealthier individuals and groups who can contribute larger amounts. But here's the catch.
Few people give money with no strings attached. Would you donate to a campaign without concern for the specific policies that a candidate will pursue once elected? Probably not. And who could blame you for wanting something in return for your hard earned cash?
And so we have very well-organized and powerful groups contributing the bulk of the funds for political campaigns that each year are more and more expensive, and to the exclusive parties that each season are more and more lavish. It is not difficult to imagine that every one of these groups, let's say the "telecommunications industry," has legislation pending before Congress that could lead to millions or billions of dollars in profits or losses, depending on how bills are written. While this legislation may or may not be in the public's interest, it is always in the interest of the companies footing the bill for those campaigns and parties. Why else would they do it.
So what about race?
Take a look at the video at the end of this essay. Look at the people partying at the exclusive venues during the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. What's their racial background? They're nearly all white. It's a club that does not deliberately exclude black and brown people, but white people established the criteria for membership many years ago and seem to be inclined to reserve the few spaces that open to their friends and relatives--who more often than not are white.
This is not to say that there are no black and brown people with power. Far from it. half of all black Americans are middle class, after all. But the people who occupy those special seats of power, the people who make decisions that move millions and billions of dollars into and out of various private coffers, are mostly white. This is something that has not changed much over the years.
Is this going to change if Obama is working out of the Oval Office? You watch the video and respond to that question yourself.
For those who watched the conventions, compare your memories of the extremely "colorful" Democratic National Convention with the images (from the video) of the exclusive parties in downtown Denver where the DNC was held. All the darker skinned people seem to have been inside the convention and not at these parties where the "wheeling and dealing" was happening. That's odd for a party of "inclusion." The RNC in Minneapolis was almost entirely white, so the same contrast doesn't hold--they have no need to pretend.
Finally, keep in mind that this video was produced by ABC which is owned by Disney and is a massive media conglomerate. You might wonder why it is that they would show something that so clearly appears to undermine that corporation's ability to shape the decision-making of our political leadership. I'll let you answer it for yourself.
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Recently we have heard great speeches and big promises made by the presidential candidates. After we hear and view their policies and their determination to make our country thrive, we elect one of the candidates as president. But how much do we really know about these people in whose hands we willingly give the reins of our country? What work goes in to actually get these people to become candidates? Who actually gets to decide what turn the campaign will take and how it should be shaped? The video by ABC news clearly shows the people behind the scenes. It is groups of rich and powerful white men and women who are more for play than for work. Even though we see a new beginning where a person of mixed race, Obama can be now considered as a worthy presidential candidate, the people at the base level of that power, the decision makers are still white. Do the people of other races need to be as qualified in political knowledge and understanding of the needs of their country? Or do they just need to be business minded and get rich and powerful enough in order to be able to actually start part taking in the politics of our country.
After watching the video, it just made me realize what I always try to forget; that the majority of politicians and people in power are just looking out for their own interests. The whole political system is just a system of intertwining lies, scandals, secrets, deals, and most importantly money. It makes me sick thinking that that is what our political system is, but it is true. But then again isn’t that what life is, too? Do we not look out for our own interests and try to do what is best for us? Yes, we all do it everyday. The world revolves around money and power; it is just what you do with it. The problem is when it comes to politicians, they are not exactly like every one of us, because when we make decisions it does not affect such a large group of people, but when they make decisions it affects almost everyone eventually. Another major point I got from the video is that no matter what party a politician is, they are essentially the same. Sure they have opposing big issues, but when you get down to it, they are the same. I get so angry when people only vote for someone based whether or not he or she is a democrat or a republican. Does it really matter?
After watching the video I was appalled to see our republican and democratic congress representatives and many others partying it up while at the national conventions were going on. Although I was also very amused when ABC’s cameras came in and all the partygoers got angry. It’s wrong that they would just cover their actions like this so they still appear to be squeaky clean on the outside. It’s like they just don’t care about what is going on sometimes and just floating around on their clouds of wealth and luxury. When this money spent on elaborate parties could go to some other causes. Money is something that I believe is evil sometimes and it changes people. I have to agree one hundred percent with Carissa Bailey said about politicians. I think how could this be these are the people that we elect in to office, the people that we believe are good and just and are working to make the united states a better place? When broadcasters like ABC go in to try to clear the smoke filled room of politicians and anyone involved in politics everyone tries to stop the fan and cover their butts. I don’t know if I would like to see all of our politicians show their true colors. If it happened I am sure there would be many skeletons in their closets.
A lot of times I forget how much baggage people come with, especially politicians. When we are electing representatives, we are also electing the rich elite that fund their campaigns and influence their decisions. The ABC video is great. It gets a behind the scenes look at what is really going on at the national conventions, opposed to what viewers are made to believe from television. If the people throwing and attending these lavish parties thought that what they were doing was okay, then why would the hide from the camera and get so angry that they were being exposed. When I vote I am going to vote for one of the two people that have both proven their qualifications as a leader for our country. The people behind them funding them with all this money have not proven anything to me. What qualifications do they have to be granted with all this power? Well one thing they have is money, and a lot of it. Does having money give you the right to influence major political decisions that affect an entire country? It seems that way since that is what is currently going on. We are suppose to believe that every decision is being made in the best interest of "the people" when we also know the types of self interested individuals that are constantly in our leader's ear reminding them of the “donations” they made. It becomes very hard to trust anyone, no matter how qualified they are or how much they promise to do for us. Everyone has baggage, politicians bags just happen to be filled with money.
Listening to the presidential debates, I haven’t heard any mention of the lower class. Both candidates have spent the majority of their time dwelling on the middle class, which apparently earns up to $200,000. That’s quite a bit of money. Regardless of race, I feel that many middle class, and all lower class people see these candidates defining a ‘middle of the road’ salary in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and are overwhelmed by how out of touch the candidates are with their constitutes.
The campaign parties appear to be lavish, but the planners and lawmakers probably can’t even see that because of how accustomed they’ve grown to their circles of power. Though a candidate for major office may start with humble beginnings, they must rise in political power by gaining money and influence. The rise to power is paved by nepotism, and insider gains that would be impossible for people outside of the favor of the majority power.
This draws a close parallel to the ‘king of the mountain’ theory discussed in class in relation to race. Only the political elite is capable of deciding who will be able to make it to positions of power. This view sheds new light on both candidates in the upcoming election. Obama’s campaign is firmly rooted in change, and we all know now that McCain is a maverick. But really, how different can they be? They were approved and selected by the same ruling majority that has chosen every past president.
This ABC video opened my eyes a lot. As a 20-year old student, I’ve tried my best to stay on top of the presidential election and this very controversial campaign. I’m very lucky to be living through this campaign, when my first time voting for president in this country will be for a black man. Because we are going through such an enormous economical crisis, one that will no doubt shape my future in many ways, I find it extremely pressing to educate myself about such issues. In addition to this, I’ve realized that at no other point throughout the duration of my life have I been this exposed to such a controversial time period involving the issue of race. I am excited and terribly nervous to see what the outcome of this election will be, however after having watched this video, I have more doubts about both candidates than ever before. As a US citizen, I naturally expect the government to take care of my selfish needs, which more or less apply to everyone’s basic human rights. But it is extremely disheartening to see that the people I trust to do what’s best for this country are being strongly influenced by the white elite who fund their campaigns. It’s not that I have anything against the white elite; it’s just that I give a lot of credit to Obama’s campaign, probably more than I should. Money and power have played too big of a role in this election. My best interest, and the best interest of my family and friends and the people I care about are not being taken into consideration. It is the interest of the rich and powerful white elite that are using ridiculous amounts of money to their advantage. What does that say about our country? Is that how we make change? The same people are supporting Obama’s campaign as are supporting McCain’s—which ultimately tells us that maybe these candidates aren’t as different as we all once thought. If the same types of people are electing two incredibly different men with contrasting policies, then why does it matter who wins the election? Maybe we’ve all put too much trust into our political parties. In the end, the selfish needs of the rich and powerful will be met, and everyone else will continue to struggle for change.
This ABC video opened my eyes a lot. As a 20-year old student, I’ve tried my best to stay on top of the presidential election and this very controversial campaign. I’m very lucky to be living through this campaign, when my first time voting for president in this country will be for a black man. Because we are going through such an enormous economical crisis, one that will no doubt shape my future in many ways, I find it extremely pressing to educate myself about such issues. In addition to this, I’ve realized that at no other point throughout the duration of my life have I been this exposed to such a controversial time period involving the issue of race. I am excited and terribly nervous to see what the outcome of this election will be, however after having watched this video, I have more doubts about both candidates than ever before. As a US citizen, I naturally expect the government to take care of my selfish needs, which more or less apply to everyone’s basic human rights. But it is extremely disheartening to see that the people I trust to do what’s best for this country are being strongly influenced by the white elite who fund their campaigns. It’s not that I have anything against the white elite; it’s just that I give a lot of credit to Obama’s campaign, probably more than I should. Money and power have played too big of a role in this election. My best interest, and the best interest of my family and friends and the people I care about are not being taken into consideration. It is the interest of the rich and powerful white elite that are using ridiculous amounts of money to their advantage. What does that say about our country? Is that how we make change? The same people are supporting Obama’s campaign as are supporting McCain’s—which ultimately tells us that maybe these candidates aren’t as different as we all once thought. If the same types of people are electing two incredibly different men with contrasting policies, then why does it matter who wins the election? Maybe we’ve all put too much trust into our political parties. In the end, the selfish needs of the rich and powerful will be met, and everyone else will continue to struggle for change.
I have lost the majority of my faith for politics a long time ago, and this video is evidence why. It just seems like that everyone is in league together to further their own personal interests. When you look across party lines and see the vast similarities, you realize that there is no real republican or democrat separation or division, just a bunch of rich people pushing their own agendas. Both parties were throwing huge expensive parties for their candidates, but mostly for themselves. When there are so many worthy charities out there and so many people struggling, you just have to wonder why a person needs to have half of a billion dollars sitting in their bank account or to spend 2 million on a lavish party. The fact that Disney and ABC did this story seems more like they are trying to downplay their own involvement in this. Disney was there throwing parties and giving money to people, but because ABC did some hard hitting reporting they are off the hook. Lastly, it is clear that even though Barack Obama and John McCain may be trying their best to keep their parties honest, their parties are not. The people who decide who gets a shot to be in what position are still heavily influenced by lobbyists, and even though both candidates have denounced lobbyists it makes you wonder how much of the decision process is really theirs. I think South Park said it best when they said that it’s always between “a giant douche and a turd sandwich.”
Wow. One of Barack Obama’s points is that he is not going to accept money from lobbyists. Well here’s the proof. They didn’t even care to watch the convention. They were prancing around at their upscale party, buys really expensive drinks and watching free concerts. Does the politics really matter to them? If it was my money being pumped into the campaign and convention, I would want to watch it to see how everything turned out. It goes to show that even if Barack is elected, some things will not be able to change. The high donors will always have a say in what goes on in Washington. But let’s turn to the race issue. Not many black people were at those high class parties. Is it because there are a limited number of non-white donors? Or have the white people in power created a structure to ensure that non-whites are kept out? As far as the parties go, they can afford to be as exclusive as they want. When does the information about the funding of the campaign come out? I would be curious to see the racial differences in donations to both candidates. I wonder how many people high up at ABC were comfortable about this story. My guess is not everyone condoned it. Kyle Golden
In political, people who have high superior in the country always make other people who have less superior believe about their freedom and system of society. According to the video, it shown that people in higher society or kings of the mountain still have control our society. The president of the country is not the person that has power to change or run the country. There are many facts that make the president cannot run the country as he/she wanted. The big companies or other people that are able to help them campaign the elections would be the real the president of the country. This group of people always will stay on the top of society; there is no matter who will win the election. For the reason that, these people help and support funds for both of the parties, there are no loosing and winning for them. However, thing is not going wrong much if we (citizens) vote for a better person, who can do a better job on unexpected situations such as natural disaster, war, economic and other unplanned situation. Which one could be a better president and can handle those situations better than the other. This is not the country that has democratic system for all citizens but for citizens that have money. This is a land of opportunities (for the kings of the mountain).
This year’s election is a milestone in race relations. Ever since the nominees emerged there has been talk around the diversity table. It is amazing to me how much race can play a factor today. The truth is the job skills required to be President of the United States say nothing about being a particular race. After Hillary dropped out of the election it seemed as if McCain’s people searched for a replacement. Although Sarah Palin does have good qualities to lead our country, one can’t help but wonder if she was only chosen because she was a woman. The same thing goes for Obama. The Democrats need a symbol that could best represent change.
I feel as if the race and ethnicity of the candidates are skewing the way people are voting. Are Americans choosing a candidate because they provide the best plan to help us progress? Or are they choosing someone because they can relative to their skin color, background, or gender? These are all alarming questions. We need to look out for the best interest in our country. The person who can do that could be black, white, brown, male or female. Unless we can all come together and surpass the race barrier than our country’s progress is limited.
If I had taken I DNA test, telling me the different races I was actually a part of, I believe it would inhibit me to form a connection with other people that I believe I had nothing to relate to. If I was part of a certain race that I had no idea I actually was a part of it might actually make me truly understand certain struggles people have gone through and connect with others who I believed to be completely different. In discussion groups, I honestly feel it would open me up more, to the struggles the race I had been found to be a part of had faced. I would want to learn more and truly feel like a part of that particular race. While I am happy with what I believe I am, I do think that if I took a test such as this it would in essence broaden my horizons and teach me about a type of people that I knew nothing about that I in turn was actually a part of. Knowing these new facts, I feel would make me more aware of my heritage and the past of my family and allow me to be even more open to others who may share that same heritage as me.
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