To understand the radicalization of America’s government, one must utilize a new paradigm to American politics, the “middle America” paradigm.
There are no democrats/republicans, liberals/conservatives, or red/blue. There is only middle America and radical fringe. Middle America has two significant radical fringe, the desperate radical poor and the wealthy radical elite. This is the “middle America” political paradigm.
The Obama administration recently defined America’s upper tax bracket above $250,000 (note1) per year income. This is the wealthy radical elite. The federal government defines poverty at $22,050 (family of 4) (note2). This is the radical desperate poor. In 2006, the "real" (adjusted for inflation) median annual household income rose 1.3% to $50,233.00. (note3) This is middle America.
Herein defines the wealthy elite radical fringe, the desperate poor radical fringe, and middle America. This is the “middle America” political paradigm.
For over a century, as the American population grew, the federal government congressional and executive representation fell further behind the 1776 pace of one representative per 26,000 citizens and one president per 2.4 million. Instead of adding more congressional members or presidents, the congress simply asked higher pay for the added 21.5 multiple citizen load, now at one congressperson per 573,831 citizens.
The current salary (2010) for rank-and-file members of the House and Senate is $174,000 per year. (note4) Congresspersons earn income over three times middle America and almost eight times the desperate poor. This salary plus one and a half median income of the American population breaks $250,000 income. The clear majority of government representatives in Washington DC easily qualify as wealthy radical elite.
The president earns a $400,000 annual salary, along with a $50,000 annual expense account, a $100,000 non-taxable travel account and $19,000 for entertainment (note5) The president, with perks, makes over 10 times median American income and 22 times the poverty level family.
As described above, it is safe to say a large majority of federal representatives are “wealthy elite”. At median American pay, the federal government could hire 9 presidents for the pay of the existing one president.
At $250,000 income, large portions of federal representatives are “radicalized” into the wealthy elite.
Under the red/blue, conservative/liberal, democrat/republican political paradigm there is no conflict of interest in today’s federal government with middle America. Under the “middle America” paradigm, America’s entire government is in conflict with interests of middle America.
Does middle America really want wealthy elite radicals running it’s government?
When service in a restaurant suffers, more waiters are needed. When fire breaks out everywhere, more fire fighters are needed. When crime becomes rampant, more police are needed. When democracy morphs to elected oligarchy and America lacks governance, send help to the few surviving democratic representatives. More representatives are needed. More presidents are needed. The antidote to corruption of power is disbursement of power. Step it up, America. Be proactive. Check out plan-b.
Citizen is coach to team democracy. Coach is responsible for success. It’s your call, coach.
http://coach-1640280.newsvine.com/
http://coach-1640280.newsvine.com/_news/2010/11/25/5526555-table-of-contents-to-comments
http://constitutionm2.newsvine.com/
Presidential Candidate (for one of 9 executive branch presidents) 2016
Notes:
http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/10poverty.shtml (1)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2010/08/11/GR2010081106717.html (2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Household_income_in_the_United_States (3)
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/congresspay.htm (4)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States (5)