I've always thought the 2 party system the US, has is the perfect setup for controlling the populace. Look at how absolutely divided the two sides are, the endless amounts of rhetoric and nonsense that comes from both groups, pulling the strings of the devout (I mean the politically devout). Politics is religion in so many ways (unfortunately all the negative ways), where the believers become indoctrinated and blind to all else.

I have never personally believed that Capitalism is the answer, any more then I believed that Communism or Socialism is. I believe more in a hybrid solution which takes the best aspects of both. I strongly think that corporations must be socially responsible entities, both in the local and global sense, rather than destructive, pathological entities. I don't think anyone deserves to be very rich, no matter what they do. I think education levels and what you contribute to society should be the determining factor of what you earn, not your ability to exploit. I also do not believe in a free ride for anyone (though I do believe in helping those who need it back to their feet).

Unfortunately, I also believe the chances of any of that actually happening, are about nil.

Aye. To paraphrase the idea often repeated in literature: "We become who we are by knowing whom we oppose."

Politics is perfect ground for us versus them mentality. You already have a group of people thinking certain way and having an opponent, so you only need to join the group to become somebody. They will even readily give you a list of slurs that you can use to refer to the other group.

But anything can become a religion when you find enough people believing in it. I've seen this too many times and I'm sure so have the others. Football is better than basketball (though we all should love "sports"), dogs are better than cats (though we all should love "animals"), pizza is better than hamburger (though we all should love "food").

Some people just seem to need enemies to feel safe.

If it were all that simple. What I think we need is lobbying reform. I wan't to abolish monetary gifts of any form. If it has any value, It should not be given to a congressman. See the problem is, These companies corrupt even the good ones, we all have a price. I suppose maybe one day, we'll find a "white knight" a sort of "Elliot Ness" of the political world....but I feel like no matter what, when they get elected eventually lobbyists will descend.

Two concepts prove most useful for uniting people - fear and hatred.

Politics use both. :yep: