Someone once coined the phrase, “We have the best government money can buy.” Sad, but true. Big Money Interests (Corporations, the Wealthy, Labor Unions, Special Interests) have taken over our political process to the detriment of “We the People.” They control our Congress, and until “big money” is taken out of politics we will not have a democratic government. Why do the Big Money interests want to control Congress? So that laws and regulations enacted by both parties will benefit them and their Big Money interests. This ensures continued wealth and power to them. How do the “Big Money Interests” control Congress? They buy out our representatives with campaign contributions. To be fair, not all our representatives are bought out, but who knows how many are? When 94 percent of candidates who raise the most money win elections-something is not right! Who do you think our representatives represent? Big Money Interests or “We the People”?
To exacerbate the problem, the Supreme Court in 2010, in “Citizens United vs. FEC”, by a bare majority, ruled in a nutshell that corporations are people and money is speech. Huh! How can they say that corporations are people, but in 1973 they said the unborn are not?When they say that money is speech are they saying Big Money Interests can speak, but people who don’t have money can’t? They have more money than you and I, and therefore have a much easier time shaping public opinion about a candidate. Some do, but many Big Money Interests have little conscience other than their bottom line.
The Supreme Court ruling also opened the door to “Super PACs” wherein unlimited secret campaign cash, from Big Money Interests is funneled into the PAC. Presidential candidates are letting Super PACs do the dirty work for them. Is this the kind of politics we want? One leading presidential contender has said, “Super PACs are a disaster”, even as Super PACs support him.
Something needs to be done to restore our democracy, to assure that Big Money Interests will no longer own our government. That something is a constitutional amendment to overturn the disastrous Supreme Court ruling. Various amendments have been proposed by citizen action groups, and a few by Congress.
Let’s not try to frame this as a Republican or Democratic issue, because it is not! Sen. John McCain has said it’s one of the worst rulings he has ever seen. Polls show the majority of Americans agree. If you agree that the Supreme Court ruled in error, then you can help by signing a petition. Here are just a few of the citizen’s action groups with petitions to sign: www.movetoamend.org or www.unitedrepublic.org.
If you would like to get more involved, “movetoamend.org” has put out a call for action to “occupy the courts” on January 20, 2012. To declare that, CORPORATIONS ARE NOT PEOPLE! MONEY IS NOT SPEECH!
Finally, imagine a world where human needs outweigh corporate profits, and where government works for We the People, rather than corporate donors. In the words of former congressman and governor Buddy Roemer, “The possibilities are limitless when the president and Congress are free to lead and free to represent the people that elected them, not special interests.”
-Jim Payne, Bend
This article appears in Jan 19-25, 2012.
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I agree with the spirit of this opinion,
yet in application, I do not.
The last time I checked, we still get one vote per person.
The opinion that we have “the best government that money can buy” is only true if the VOTERS are being bought.
Let’s get to the root of the problem RIGHT NOW
and take responsibility for our actions, and our votes.
THOSE THAT CREATED THE PROBLEM,
those that are invested in what they created,
WILL NEVER SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
If we don’t like debt-spending, then why do we keep voting for politicians that keep borrowing and stealing our prosperity?
If we don’t like big-money in politics, then why do we keep voting for politicians that take money from big-political parties?
Are we are fiscally conservative and economically smart?
Then why do we keep voting for politicians that take this money?
YOU ARE THE SPECIAL INTEREST if you are giving your vote
to a candidate that takes this money. YOU ARE THE PROBLEM
if you don’t make the CHANGE that you want to see!
Jim Payne, and every other Bend Resident and Voter, I ask you:
Did you vote for someone last election cycle that took some of this money?
Candidates that ran for office two years ago that took this money:
SHAME ON YOU!
If you want big money out of politics,
then I suggest that you DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
besides lobbying for another campaign law that won’t work.
Tell your City Council Candidates,
tell your County Commissioner Candidates,
and all other local candidates, “NO MORE”.
TELL THEM that you won’t vote for them if they take money from either the Democrats and the Republicans who ALWAYS take this money.
We don’t need any more laws. We need community action!
We need to take responsibility for our vote.
Thank you for thinking about it.
I agree with most of what you said Rondo, but the problem with money in politics isn’t just in elections, you pointed out that we still get 1 vote per person. That’s true but once these people are in office they start being lobbied hard by corporations and our 1 vote no longer matters until the next election cycle. Totally agree with community action though! http://www.wolfpacnh.com