The New York Times ran an excellent expose about how corporations and the super wealthy, and their high-priced amoral attorneys, have corrupted the system. The article details the hidden story behind the ever-present Forced Arbitration Clauses slipped into almost all contracts these days.
The article is entitled Arbitration Everywhere, Stacking the Deck of Justice. The full article may be found by pointing your browser here: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/01/business/dealbook/arbitration-everywhere-stacking-the-deck-of-justice.html
Everyone, and I mean everyone, should read this article. You will see how the corporations and their greedy attorneys have figured out a way to escape accountability.
Many judges, both state and federal, and both Democratic and Republican appointees, have written opinions bemoaning the misuse of these Forced Arbitration Clauses – calling them a “Get of Jail Free Card” and the worst and most dangerous development ever in the civil justice system.
But not only have the corporation stacked the Congress, they have stacked the Supreme Court as well. As reported, one of the attorneys pushing the use of Forced Arbitration Clauses, John Roberts, who later became the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
The corporations and their lawyers knew exactly what they were doing when they did it. And they’ve gotten away with it like they have gotten away with so much else and the way they will continue to get away with so much in the future.
Worse yet, while these corporations have worked behind the scenes to escape accountability and keep stealing billions from the middle-class and government, they have propped up boogie men to distract the electorate, like unions, trial lawyers, and immigrants.
If the middle-class does not wake up and wake up soon, then it will continue to have the system and policies that Wall Street chooses and imposes on us through its purchased politicians.