Quiz 3, Question 2

Twenty-Five Arrested, Thousands Converge on Koch Brothers Billionaire's Caucus in the California Desert

Proof of my previous blog's claim that the Egyptian revolts could spread to other parts of the world is partly shown in this article which details the recent protest of the Koch brothers' "Billionaire's Caucus" in California. Author David Dayen claims that the Koch brothers, billionaires who support tea-party and other extreme right-wing causes (like climate change denial) and greatly influence/take advantage of our government, represent the "money power" 19th century populists described. The protesters represent our "democratic authority," our right to speak out. About 1,000 activists came to protest until the police broke it up. This protest is just one of the ways Americans are showing they are fed up. "This is the beginning of our fight back," said Van Jones, formerly in the Obama administration.

As far as political economy goes, America is dividing more and more as some become more extreme to the right and others to the left. Some doubt the economic and government system we practice. This leads to a cultural divide because Americans are developing two different ways of life. Our middle class is also disintegrating leading to another divide of upper and lower class. We are becoming a system of a "superstructure" and "base." However, groups are uniting to start protesting the way America is leading in control of "obscene" billionaires and policy makers. Anger is in the air and I think we are going to see more of it displayed soon.