Robert Putnam was right; America's social capital is evaporating at an intense rate. I generally agree with what he sees as the causers for this occurring, such as women entering the labor force, the "re-potting" hypothesis, the transformation of the American family, and the influence technology has upon our lives. I wonder if perhaps he left out an important causer; the major influence of corporations on today's politics.
American citizens didn't have powerful, multi-national corporations acting as master puppeteers on Capitol Hill. Corporate influence in modern-day America is vast and free-spending. After the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission that spending by corporations in elections cannot be limited under the First Amendment, the influence, and spending, of corporations has exploded. This is especially evident in the 2010 mid-terms, where spending records were shattered. Check this link: Campaign cash: What Interest Groups Spent on 2010 Midterm Elections to see who spent what and where the money went.
The typical American citizen does not have billions of dollars to invest in political campaigns. The typical American cannot pay for commercials advocating their views, or send a lobbyist to Washington to schmooze with politicians to forward types of legislation they like. The social capital of the typical American has been usurped by corporations, and reversal does not look close.
Jake, Notice that he proposes some possible causes that he dismisses as less important than others. LDL
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