New York Times article on government ignoring the true will of the people

[sean99]

https://nyti.ms/2SJ5b6H

We are told that America is divided and polarized as never before. Yet when it comes to many important areas of policy, that simply isn’t true.

About 75 percent of Americans favor higher taxes for the ultrawealthy. The idea of a federal law that would guarantee paid maternity leaveattracts 67 percent support. Eighty-three percent favor strong net neutrality rules for broadband, and more than 60 percent want stronger privacy laws. Seventy-one percent think we should be able to buy drugs imported from Canada, and 92 percent want Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices. The list goes on.

The summary is that democracy is broken - America has become an oligarchy and government ignores the wishes of the vast majority. Polarization and division is sown using wedge issues that are only important to small minorities (immigration, birth control, gun control). Divide and conquer.

I think the UK is following very closely down this path. The good news, though, is that the majority of us want a fairer society with safe towns, good schools, affordable healthcare, and that a 40 hour work week should deliver a living wage. Our politicians are being bribed to ignore these issues.