oh, and such things as waving the inhertiance tax, something to that effect... we're not a substantially democratic nation, we're a capitalist nation with a formal democracy.
People can speak all they want, but so long as people think the status quo is in their best interest, or the best we're ever going to get because 'we' haven't seen better
taxing the poor, tax breaks for the rich, so-called trickle down.. philanthropy is the best we got absent effective social policy, resdist. of wealth by the govt. So, obviously we have a structural conflict of interest that MAY hinder or MAY improve conditions for those not in positions of power. Personally, that roll of the dice does not a democracy make.
Not sure how this whole freedom concept go twisted into freedom for certain people, the wealthy or those in the position of power (w resources) last time I checked democracy was a lil' bit more all encompassing than that and not exclusionary.