Tankiejerk

I think our principal disagreement comes down to whether or not we believe governments are capable of addressing externalities as they pop up. I believe they can, but I also recognize the frustration born of a system in which roughly half of the country not only doesn't want to address those externalities, they see addressing them as some form of "cultural capitulation."

I'd highly recommend the book "Why We're Polarized" as it delves heavily into that concept, but ultimately what we care about are solutions, not it's origin, and I agree those solutions are difficult to conceptualize in any short term timeframe.

I would dispute that the US is an oligarchy, or even that certain wealthy groups have as dramatic and impact on government as is "known" by the internet writ large. My experience as a lobbyist and campaign worker, as well as my experience with Fortune 5-100 companies, strongly disagrees with that notion

Rather, I'd argue that we are crippled by intense tribalism within relatively small demographic areas, which is what makes this such a tough nut to crack. For instance, the "military industrial complex" doesn't so much buy representatives as those representatives represent constituencies that exist in town/cities where the MIC has monopsony (primary hiring ability) and thus vote in lockstep with increasing budgets because it means more jobs.

Americans, almost definitionally, are uncomfortable with the idea of being inconvenienced for long-term gain, which i see as a significant hurdle. This is a bit personal to me, as I am clearly pro-government existing, and my town straight up disincorporated over a <$20/year tax increase per household, where the money was slated to go toward schools.

Fortunately, we're still in that school district and they eventually secured funding, but my town is now missing growth opportunities and essential services as a result.

Like I said, tough nuts to crack.