In many aspects of American life and governance, this is a nation ruled by the wealthy on behalf of the wealthy that exploits those that lack wealth or connections to wealth. The simple fact is that those that have a lot of money, typically also have family, friends, and associates that they want to take care of now and far into the future, so the money that they have is a vibrant form of power, of which few when obtaining such power, voluntarily wish to relinquish such a legacy whatsoever.
It would be one thing if the wealth obtained by those that have it, came on the fair and square, that is, was properly earned through honest labor in the full meaning of the word, whereas the truth of the matter is, the rich of today, make the bulk of their money off of the poor and the exploited or receive their riches from their bloodline. Take, for instance, money that is inherited, in which, those that are born into impoverished families or of families of modest means, of which many Americans fall into these categories, typically inherit nothing but perhaps some wisdom, or, if fortunate, a very modest sum of money. Those though, that die with millions are able to with the aid of the appropriate lawyers, accountants, and financial advisors, to take the vast bulk of their net worth and pass it on either directly or indirectly to their progeny or foundation, in which this money will continue to exert its power for generations to come.
Then there is the structure of corporations which is akin to a pyramid, with the bulk of employees at the bottom, and the CEO, and other executives at the very pinnacle of such a pyramid. While employees do receive compensation, the lion's share of the profits, the lion's share of the benefits, for many American corporations, gravitates to the very, very top and a very, very few in total. It is these high-powered executives that enrich themselves with stock options priced particularly well for their benefit, so too, it is these executives that receive the largess of over-the-top severance and retirement packages, as well as often being accorded the very best in travel, food, and entertainment, all charged to the company's cost of doing business.
America has private ownership of land, but that ownership, that access, that negotiation for prime pieces of land, has almost never been on the up-and-up and aboveboard to the general public, whatsoever. The very best land to be exploited for its natural resources, or for its prime location, or zoned to improved its value, are all set aside for those that are members of the exclusive club that benefits from such, and thereby those that are on the outside, never are permitted a fair shake or a fair chance. When the best land is owned by a select few, is it no wonder that they are able to exploit such so that as manufacturers, or as a rentier, or as natural resource extractors, they make money, without having to break their back in doing so.
The ordinary folk never have a chance, as they need to work at whatever wage, fair or not, in order to provide for themselves as well as their family, which is exactly what the plutocrats want. These magnates are few in number, so they understand well the necessity to spread their money around so that the justice system, the policing system, company management, media, and the application of such, are done in a manner that those working at the behest of the elite, gladly do so, because these select people benefit enough, that they appreciate the wages bestowed upon them, recognizing in their most honest moments, that the alternative to not playing ball with the plutocrats is rather bleak.
The very rich have it all and control it all, leaving just scrapes of the American dream for mainstream America to live on, in this, the richest country of them all. This is indeed a country of the few, for the few, and by the few, in which they live, and we die.