The Separation of Wealth and State

The U.S. Constitution guarantees separation of church and state. What this nation needs now is separation of wealth and state.

Without such a protection, Americans stand to lose their democracy. They'll be ruled instead by an aristocracy of the wealthy.

That's the plan of the 1%, and has been for years. To them, it was no more than a perk when the U.S. Supreme Court enabled politicians to open their wallets for unlimited, anonymous campaign contributions.

That's because way before the 2010 Citizens United ruling, 1% was orchestrating their takeover.
If  her rest of us don't stop them soon, don't establish some sort of separation of wealth and state, then the nation will lose its founding concepts-- that all men are created equal and that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Aristocracies get to ignore the serfs.

Already the oligarchs have seen tremendous success. The rich really do enjoy unprecedented advantages in education, health, safety security and finances.Hel, there are tax credits, havens and dodges only available only to top tax brackets.
They've succeeded in stuffing Congress with their peers. In all of America, less than 1 percent of all people are millionaires. In Congress,  that number is 47%. The median net worth of a U.S. senator in 2010 was $2.56 million. There is an old saying that the fastest way to become rich in America was to become a Congressperson.

Those guys haven't experienced what it's like to try to pay a mortgage, fix the car and keep food on the table for the average household with a median income of less than $52,000. They're completely out of touch with the 50 million Americans who don't have health insurance.

In addition, the oligarchs implemented a system to influence even those lawmakers who are not millionaires, it's called the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
Corporations and the rich, like the billionaire Koch brothers, give ALEC  a LOT of money, which it uses to write "model" legislation, like voter suppression laws. ALEC's lawmaker members, mostly conservative Republicans, pay dues of $50 a year. ALEC entices them to attend swanky conferences with freebies, like ALEC-paid hotel rooms, ALEC-paid plane rides and God knows what else ALEC-paid. Of course, those aren't bribes. But the free vacations may incline lawmaker members to introduce ALEC-written legislation.

ALEC is sly. It doesn't come right out and say its "model" voter identification laws are intended to suppress balloting by Democrats. ALEC contends they're designed to prevent voter fraud. Within the past two years, 10 states passed these laws.

A handful of uber oligarchs, including billionaires Sheldon Adelson, the Koch brothers, and hedge funders Kenneth Griffin, Cliff Asness and Paul Singer, will spend $500 million to install their chosen candidates in the White House.
Adelson by himself is expected to give $100 million to elect Romney and Paul Ryan, one tenth of everything the Republicans are expected to spend. That kind of money will buy Adelson a little more than a couple of overnights in the Lincoln Bedroom.

...They're willing to buy influence, write legislation, demand fealty and enjoy the perks of this nation; but not pay taxes to support it. The Ryan budget would reduce millionaire Romney's tax rate from about 14 percent to less than 1 percent. And, for the rest of us, Ryan would destroy Medicare, Social Security and end the Social Safety Net as we know it.

The last thing in the world most of the Founding Fathers wanted-- and certainly most of the non-Southern Founders-- was the establishment on our shores of an hereditary aristocracy. But with our long-cherished meritocracy failing dismally-- you should treat yourself to Chris Hayes' book, Twilight of the Elites: America After Meritocracy-- the oligarchs have carved an opening for themselves, and they have purchased a political party more than willing to carry out their plans... or, more accurately, a party and a half.