[lbo-talk] New Yorker: Conflict of Interests, by Nicholas Lemann

Dwayne Monroe dwayne.monroe at gmail.com
Sat Sep 13 18:17:03 PDT 2008


Perhaps I'm wrong (and if so, I'm sure someone will jump up to shout 'nonsense!' or the ever popular, 'I will skull fuck you for being so dimwitted Monroe!') but I've long thought that the real issue wasn't that 'interest groups' existed -- because, well, of course they do -- but that a cluster of such groups, for ex. Pharma and energy, moving like money buttered gazelles, enjoy super influence while others get politely patted on the head, at best.

Also, isn't this the sort of thing the parliamentary style of governance is at least partially intended to address by putting us hooligans safely within an envelope? You have your green faction and your national cicada killer preservation association, etc, etc, all having a seat in government.

After reading the article, I gather that Lemann's point is that the deeply embedded assumptions of American winner take all elections and two party-ism have created the false expectation that everyone will quiet down and demand nothing till the next election cycle. Well, that's just wrong, Lemann says.

I don't want to come off like a dildo, but I'm not so sure this insight, which has a 'Actung! Water is Wet' ring to it, deserved nearly 5000 words.

.d.

-- "I am death incarnate, a destroyer of worlds baby...just like that idiot Harry Potter!"

Nigel, brewer of ale .............................. http://monroelab.net/blog/



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