The U.S. currently has more of a Corporatocracy than an Oligarchy- huge corporations control the government, currency, and economic policies through lobbyists, access, influence, and donations. This subtle difference doesn't alter the truth of Justice Brandeis' fine observation, though. Instead of a few royal/powerful families we have corporations controlling the appearance of government and the conveyor belt of money from the Middle Class to the Stupidly Wealthy. It was just made more obvious lately by the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision by the five Conservative Corporate Whore Justices. Without a Constitutional Amendment to counterbalance this travesty of a decision it's "game over" for Democracy, or even the facade appearance of it.