While I agree with much of that analysis and see religious fundamentalism as a major problem in the U.S., it does not explain why so many educated, non-fundamentalist people vote against their interests. Workers voting for a party that is dominated by big business interests. Peace activists who vote for a party that promises larger military spending. People who favor real health care reform — improving and expanding Medicare so it covers everyone — vote for a party that pushes non-reform that entrenches the insurance industry further in its control of health care. People who oppose rewarding those who crashed the economy with massive Wall Street bailouts they voters oppose, etc.
The reason for these choices is people feel trapped by the corporate-political duopoly and hold their nose voting for what they do not want. Progressives are so afraid of the scary Republicans that they will vote for the Democratic Party which does not push their interests, but opposes their interests. People are manipulated into voting against their interests, voting based on fear rather than on their hopes and dreams. (Of course, Obama did an excellent job of being marketed as the hope and change candidate. In the end many feel fooled and disappointed.)
We are given very limited choices to pick from. Real change candidates have to fight to get on the ballot, are kept out of debates and are not covered by the corporate media. The election of Rahm Emanual in Chicago is an excellent example. The real election was before the campaign started when a half dozen credible candidates dropped out so that all that was left was a well funded Emanuel against two flawed candidates. (That may be hidden lesson from that campaign — control who is on the ballot and you control the election.) In the future we will see what pressures or promises were used to get the others to drop out. Obama did the same thing when he first ran for office — finding a way to keep his mentor who was his biggest challenge out of the race. Voters then are left with no real choices and the election becomes a sham.
On a national level voters get to choose from two corporate-approved candidates, well marketed to their respective base of voters so voters are manipulated into voting against their interests.
KZ
