Policies favored by most of the American public are implemented when they are not opposed by economic elites .
Gilens & Page ( 2014 ) p. 6 Gilens says that average citizens only get what they want if economic elites or groups representing business interest also want it ; that is , economic elites and their interest groups are influential , and that when a policy favored by the majority of the American public is implemented , it is usually because economic elites did not oppose it .
Oligarchy