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Wednesday, December 3, 2008 12:00 AM

Nepotistic succession in the political class

A large, and rapidly growing, percentage of high elected officials are part of politically powerful families. What accounts for this anti-democratic dynamic?
Glenn Greenwald

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  • Thursday, December 4, 2008 12:24 PM

    In a nation of 350 million, a good last name and connections help to stand out

    It's not just a plague on our democracy, it's a social tendency in large groups that one generation hops on the shoulders of the prior generations. Unless we create a constitutional prohibition on nepotism, as many companies have done, this trend will intensify the more Americans there are. Until we have an Emperor and dynasty, I suppose. Or do we, already, as oligarchs?

    —Bob Jacobson Read Bob Jacobson's other letters

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