"Even by the logic that allows American power to credibly
refer to the country as a representative democracy - a
republic - the Bush presidency represents a step backward.
It represents a step backward to a time when coteries of
aristocrats installed leaders into power openly, and the
public accepted it because such was their lot in life.

As people in history became more unmanageable, more 'curious
and arrogant' about the machinations of the State (to para-
phrase a statement often quoted by Noam Chomsky), elites
felt compelled to ensure that their representatives were
chosen through more indirect, less noticeable means.
Campaign finance, saturation of political ads across
all kinds of media, control over the Federal Election
Commission, the Electoral College - these are some of the
indirect ways that elites ultimately retain their power over
the country today. The placing of Bush and his big business
administration into power shows that the business community
feels confident enough to step out of the shadows and openly
place into office one of their representatives, even without
the public ratification that used to be, at least
superficially, necessary."