Who has too much power in the United States?

"Too much power" implies that their power should be taken away and given to someone else. A number of these groups have a lot of power. Two groups that didn't make the list (and that had already come to mind before getting to the options) are: federal government and the press. Both groups have power that far exceeds their accountability. Power without accountability (authority without responsibility) is far more dangerous than simply a lot of power.

If anyone actually, with a straight face clicked 'atheists' I will personally slap them with a haddock. And yes, that IS a threat.

you forgot drug dealers.

everyone who has power over other people tends to have too much power.

jjg - there are different types of power. Some is given by other people, but some is taken as well.

Media indeed.
romkey: I'm not sure I agree with that, although I guess it really depends on your definition of power. There are a lot of good parents out there, not to mention good teachers, who don't abuse the power they wield....

you forgot "pills"

what is a PACs? basically, the people who have too much power are those with too much money, the political credo of 'money talks' it far too true. other than that, it is whomever wants the power.. so politicians have too much power. Anyone who wants to be in office probably shouldn't be. ** I'll agree with the option of media as well.

...too much power? is that like being too rich or too thin? I think power used for E V I L would be too much, regardless of the amount ....knowhatimean?

Rich people!

Bill Gates/Microsoft, television media, parents, FEMA
Users of Survey Central! They MUST be stopped.

What about Bill Gates?

Where's the Court system? and the media?

Everyone has too much power over others and, as a result, not enough power over themselves.

The only way the media has power is because of the Corporations behind them. The Corporations own all the media and the politicians.
For what Atzilut said, I say to anyone who marks Feminists, Women, or Homosexuals.

***jjg:   No.  A rapist forces in order to take power. The victim never allows it. Also, an adult who physically forces a child to do something leaves no room for choice. Force, coercion, and domination go hand in hand with power-over-others. The alternative to domination is Partnership/Linking/cooperation.
**lisa: I never said that adults are children. (I also never said that politicians have too much power.) My comment to jjg is in reference to his statement that Power can only be "given", never "taken" and that "no one can force you to do something". My dictionary's definition of "Power" includes: "a position of ascendancy over others; one that has control or authority; or physical might".

I chose none. I don't think at this point that any one group has "too much power" - every group has the opportunity to have power. Not all have fully attained all the power they could have, though. Black power is a potent force. Feminism is a potent force. The various religious groups can wield power. The question is, what should that power be used for - is the power that is being used being used in a socially responsible manner?

*** BadtzMaru: I'm afraid I have to disagree with the portrayal of people as children. Every person in the US has the *ability* to influence politics and therefore "rules" in a variety of ways. In my experience, even if I actively tell people about bills coming up and explain what is going on, they could care less and rarely make any effort to let their views be known. They're happier just blaming the outcome on someone else.

***Your examples all deal with physical force. I think the choices we're examining deal with social and political and economic forces, which are far different. These *can* be fought if people merely have a strong enough desire.

There is no such thing as having too much power. Power is given by the people. If any group has power then there are people who want that group to have it. ***Romkey: no one can take power, power must be given. No one can force you to do something, you have to agree to it. The same goes for society; a majority needs to agree to it. ***Badtzmaru: you always have a choice, always. Sometimes your choice may be death or submission, but there is always a choice. The rapist still has only as much power as the victim is willing to give him/her.

Alan Greenspan. One person not elected by the people (directly or indirectly) should not have that much control over the direction of the economy - basically, it's the lack of accountability that daver referred to. I've been reading Robert Reich's autobiography Locked in the Cabinet and its got an interesting account of how many of Clinton's programs were torpedoed by fear of Greenspan and Wall Street.

senior citizens

as a group, the big jerks have way too much power. the cool people need to take back the power from the big jerks.

in general, media; news-o-tainment programs more specifically***jonathan, given the current state of our electoral process, it seems to me that if one person, or a small group of people, has to have that much control over the economy, it really needs to NOT BE an elected position.

people with money. the almighty dollar is always the final arbiter in america, and that's just plain WRONG.

I do! Bwah ha ha.