NEW YORK, July 2 — American democracy has been completely subverted by special interests and is “coin-operated” and controlled by money, Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group and GZero Media, has said.
Speaking on the risks America poses to the world in an edited transcript of “The Ezra Klein Show” published by The New York Times last month, Bremmer said many Americans feel trapped in a two-tier system, believing that the rules do not apply equally and that they cannot secure what they want for their families.
“The American dream is not for everybody, no matter how hard you work,” he said.
Americans are far less class mobile today than Europeans or Canadians, which Bremmer called shocking, noting that in the 1970s and 1980s, the United States had some of the greatest class mobility among countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Bremmer also said the U.S. political system has become increasingly grievance-based, with leaders winning support by telling voters that they are being taken advantage of by others.
“America, as a country, is supposed to be where everybody builds up, everyone has an opportunity. When you don’t feel that way, you start demonizing these people,” Bremmer added. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
