A study, to appear in the Fall 2014 issue of the academic journal Perspectives on Politics, finds that the U.S. is no democracy, but instead an oligarchy, meaning profoundly corrupt...
— US Is an Oligarchy Not a Democracy, says Scientific Study | Common Dreams

I've been saying this for years. Nice to see there's some research to back it up. Sadly, I very much doubt it'll change as the all power has been transferred away from the small man.