U.S. Senate democratic? Not.
In all the media coverage of the impeachment trial in the
U.S. Senate, you constantly hear that this process shows how
"our democratic system" works.
But there's nothing democratic about the Senate. It
represents a thin layer of the richest, most privileged people
in this country.
There are 34.5 million African Americans in the United
States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 1998 population
estimate. There is not one African American in the U.S.
Senate.
There are 30.8 million Latinos in the U.S. There is not one
in the U.S. Senate.
Most people in the United States are women--138.2 million.
But out of 100 senators, only nine are women.
In 1994, there were 35 million blue-collar workers in this
country. And there were 52 million white-collar workers,
including service workers. With their families, they make up
the working class, the vast majority of the population.
There's not one worker in the U.S. Senate. But there are
dozens of millionaires.
So who are these senators? Nearly all are white, most are
men, and a large percentage are corporate lawyers. The U.S.
political system is stacked so that only those who are rich, or
who have the backing of the rich, can get into the Senate--also
known as the "millionaires' club."
Whether it is waging wars abroad or cutting social services
at home, the U.S. government acts on behalf of the capitalist
class. In no way is it a government of, by or for the
people.
--Deirdre
Griswold
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
Subscribe wwnews-subscribe@workersworld.net
Support independent news http://www.workers.org/orders/donate.php)
HOME
:: U.S. NEWS ::
WORLD NEWS ::
EDITORIALS ::
SUBSCRIBE ::
DONATE
Email
this article
Printable
page