The "he's just controlled opposition" argument needs a lot of support. I do believe there is a political class which consists of people who literally conspire to plunder us, but I do not believe the conspiracy theories of a monolithic organization running everything. There are factions within the power elite, disagreements over the way to exploit the gullible masses, and bitter rivalries between families and individuals. Examples historically include Tammany Hall, or the Rockefellers vs. the Morgans.