Most of America Has No Clue Where the Two Parties Actually Fall on Political Ideology. For Some, Democracy is an Inconvenience

by James Lyons-Weiler, PhD, Popular Rationalism, ©2024

(Aug. 15, 2024) — In the grand theater of American politics, the spectacle presented by the two major parties often resembles a well-rehearsed performance rather than a genuine struggle over ideological differences. The public is treated to a show where Republicans and Democrats fiercely champion their respective causes—whether it’s healthcare reform, economic policy, or civil rights—only for the curtain to fall, revealing that the true motives behind their actions are often more aligned with the interests of powerful corporate backers and elite influencers than with the average voter. This political posturing serves to distract the public, making them believe in a binary choice that, in reality, masks a shared agenda of maintaining the status quo and protecting the interests of those who hold real power behind the scenes.

Here we will peel back the layers of this performance, exposing how the issues both parties claim to stand for are frequently just tools used to rally their bases and maintain control over the electorate. By examining the influence of organizations like the Trilateral Commission and the shifting ideologies of the parties, particularly the Democratic Party’s alignment with pharma corporate interests, we aim to reveal the dissonance between the parties’ public rhetoric and their actual agendas. The importance of looking beyond the surface of political discourse to understand the deeper forces at play that truly shape policy and governance in America cannot be overstated.

The Trilateral Commission’s Perspective on Democracy and Governance

The Trilateral Commission (TLC), a self-appointed leader in global matters, and founded in 1973 by David Rockefeller, has often been criticized for its elitist approach to global governance, particularly in how it views democracy and public participation. One of the most significant and controversial contributions to this debate came from Samuel Huntington, a prominent political scientist and a key figure within the Commission. In the 1975 report “The Crisis of Democracy,” Huntington articulated a concern shared by many within the TLC: that the expansion of democratic participation, particularly by newly mobilized social groups, was leading to a crisis in the governability of democracies​ (Labour Heartlands)​ (Encyclopedia Britannica).

Huntington’s critique was not aimed at the Trilateral Commission itself, but rather at what he perceived as the negative consequences of too much democracy. He argued that the increasing demands from various social groups—such as minorities, students, and other previously marginalized populations—were straining the capacity of governments to maintain order and effectively manage the economy and foreign policy. According to Huntington, a degree of public apathy and non-involvement was necessary to ensure that governments could function without being overwhelmed by the demands of an excessively participatory democracy​ (The Harvard Crimson).

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