Well… the President rules America, right? That is the most logic answer, but actually there are several powerful groups of people that rule the United States. On the other hand, there isn't a group that has all the power because these various groups -which would be made up of the highest leaders in the corporate world, the political world and the military world- have to work together to achieve their goals, setting at the same time the country's social and economical guidelines. Sociologist C. Wright Mills explains “the country's most important matters are not decided by lobbyists or even by Congress. Rather, the decisions that have the greatest impact on the lives of Americans…are made by a power elite” (Qtd. In Henslin, 2007)
So, grab your seats and be prepared to uncover the truth.
Macro-business
Big businesses really rule America. It isn't because corporate people meet and conspire about everything. Simply, they are all working for their own independent benefit; which is getting maximum profit for their mega-enterprises. It isn't a coincidence that all CEO's come from prestigious universities and private schools with like-minded people, which shape them to see the world from a similar privileged perspective.
In addition, the macro- businesses control and direct the economy in this country and in the rest of the world, making the U.S. dollar the most powerful currency. By the same token, these mega corporations decide trends, fashions, diet, lifestyles and pretty much everything we see around us!!…Our complete life is bombarded with advertisements in order to shape our lives to their business-oriented mentality and turn our needs into “wants”. In other words, their motto is “brainwash, re-program…then sell”
The politicians
The top politicians share the same goals; those of their corporate masters, but as far as their beliefs in how these goals should be achieved, politicians do differ from each other. It is in this sense that they do have some freedom in how they can use their power to influence and set public policy. However they also approve and create laws that represent more benefits to them than to the rest of the society…and I'm not saying that most of the laws are wrong…but many of our laws are not exactly approved in order to benefit the society. Example: The recent ban President Bush imposed over the increase of federal budget toward medical insurance for children, leaving thousands of children without the opportunity to have medical services whenever they need it…but of course! I forgot that it's more important to build a wall across the Mexican-American frontier…a wall so big that it will make history, more than the one in Berlin!
The military
The power of our military is what ensures the protection of the nation, but more often it ensures the protection of the top elite's interests. The effectiveness of the military is largely in the hands of its top leaders who have the President's ears. Moreover, it is the military and the cabinet that determine how they want to present information to the President and to the American society. In other words, the President encircles himself with these top people who are his eyes and ears and they in turn control what the President sees and hears.
In Addition, they plan together the militia's activities and they decide if our soldiers go to war, stay on the conflict zone, return home or re-built a destroyed country…whether our country participated in its depletion or not…whether we like it or not
Voting and the common people
In a way, the common people actually could have a lot of power, but they forfeit it. The reason that I say this is because politicians need to get into office to do anything, and they also need to get re-elected once they get in office if they really want to succeed.
Since common people are majority, we could easily control politicians with our voting power. The problem is that common people do not all vote and most of us do not have the vested interest in political outcomes that high-level corporations do.
On the other hand, there is a difference in that if we feel we are getting ripped off, typically we won't do a lot about it. However, when a big business owner feel that he/she is not getting his/her way, he/she will go after the politicians with a vengeance to make sure that they do. So it is much easier for politicians to do what is best for their corporate masters than for the common people.
Unfortunately, we are not educated enough and do not follow politics enough to stay on top of the issues. If as a society, we become more interested in our own political share, we could also feel more powerful with the feeling that we have a voice and we want that voice to be heard, because ”the more the people feel they have a stake in the political system, the more likely they are to vote”(Henslin, 2007)
Finally, there are more that 200 million Americans; we are majority…don't you think we should decide who rules America?
