Save our democracy
By the people, for the people? By the people? Yes. For the people? No. Just because we can vote doesn’t mean we live in a democracy. This is the unfortunate reality that we live in. In a time where inequality is widening and the concentration of wealth is greater than ever, our political system has been turned upside down. The game is rigged, and it’s not rigged for people like you and me. It is rigged for the wealthy few and the corporations who have the money.
On January 21, 2010, the United States Supreme court made a decision on Citizens United vs. The Federal Election Commission. This decision is one of the single greatest attacks on American democracy. This was a decision that had been in the works for decades. The Supreme Court ruled that corporations were people, and therefore since they were people, their monetary donations were free speech, and therefore protected under the first amendment. Money talks, and it talks especially loud to politicians.
“Millionaires and billionaires aren’t making huge donations to politicians out of generosity. Corporations aren’t spending hundreds of millions of dollars on lobbyist and political campaigns because they love America. These expenditures are considered investments, and the individuals and corporations that make them expect a good return.” – Robert Reich
Wake up, and stand up. In order for our government to once again start representing its people, we must demand that this decision be overturned. To restore the democracy we preach and fight for, we must address and enact real campaign-finance reform.
What would this look like you might ask? Well, Robert Reich outlines a very promising plan that should be the foundation in campaign financing. We need more generous public financing of elections, which can happen in three steps.First, there should be a limit on the amount of money a single individual can donate to a political candidate. Second every dollar that is donated should be matched by the government. Yes, the government would match it, because if there was one thing that the government should be spending money on, it’s restoring and preserving our own democracy. Third, all political contributions should be placed in “Blind Trusts” to ensure that candidates do not know who donated what money. This would eliminate the candidates from favoring one party over another and avoid a conflict of interest.
If the Citizens united decision is overturned, and we enact these new public campaign financing laws, we can once again move towards a government that is run by the people and for the people. Until then, our votes won’t count. We will continue to live in this disillusioned world, where we believe the people we elect reflect our interest and not the interest of a handful of wealthy people. It will foster in hope for the discouraged voter who doesn’t even bother voting, and be the first step in rebuilding our democracy. It start with us, we must recognize this and act on it. Overturn Citizens United, and restore our democracy.
“I will tell you that our system is broken. I give to many people, I give to everybody, when they call I give, and you know what? When I need something from them, two years, three years later, I call, they are there for me” – Donald Trump
References
Aftershock, The Next Economy and Americas Future, by Robert Reich
Gangs of America, The Rise of Corporate Power and the Disabling of Democracy, by Ted Nace
Beyond Outrage, by Robert Reich
Richard Fobes says
If primary elections used pairwise counting to (correctly) identify the most popular candidate in primary elections, then money would have far, far less influence on election results.
Austin Brooks says
Two things to consider then. I wonder what you think about Phyllis Schlafly and her lobbying of Congressmen to overturn the ERA. Does that not indicate that should the people be motivated to act then they can compete with the corporations you fear? I think the issue lies more in the in-activeness and ineptitude of the American citizens when it comes to political lobbying. Secondly, does Bernie Sanders success not show that money doesn’t necessarily correlate success? Sanders has come from no where and galvanized the youth into political action, making the Nomination for Hillary Clinton a contested battle rather than the perceived walk in the park we thought a year ago.
Jake Legumina says
The issue of Citizens United v. FEC is merely a, “a first step in rebuilding our democracy,” the issue is quite more dynamic than this, you mention lobbying which is a fundamental issue in the corruptness of politicians. I think Phyllis Schlafly is an excellent example of collective power, but the political climate today is much different, there has been astronomical growth and power in corporate lobbying since the mid 1970s, this problem has grown far more severe when coupled with the increasing in-activeness and apathy of the American people. This apathy and ineptitude is a problem all in itself, which needs a far longer discussion than simply a comment section. But anyways the corporate lobbying power has in a way helped create the political ineptitude of the American people. The last figure i saw was that 91% of people believe their is no way of getting money out of politics. They too recognize the almost insurmountable lobbying power that is in the way. Frankly had the ERA come across today, and had more corporate interest tied into it, I think Phyllis Schlafly would not have stood a chance. Also, as someone who has followed the Sanders campaign since its beginning, his grass roots movement is impeccable. Its hard to dictate his success though, Bernie’s movement is very reminiscent of Ralph Nader’s campaign in 2000, who achieved, what would be classified as a large grass roots movement but received merely 1%-2% when it came time to vote. The American people are so greatly apathetic and inept in terms of politics, they need political leaders like Schlafly and Sanders, but even today this will not be enough. At the end of the day, you are correct, the core issue is the people and their lack of awareness. unfortunately it;s going to take more than a grassroots movement from a political outsider every 8 years. The goal is to educate, you cannot have a true substantive democracy without an informed and educated citizenry. This is an issue that I believe will be the political prize fight of our century, and the only way this fight is going to be won is is constant blows to the body (Lobbying power) It needs to start somewhere, and it might as well start with the Citizens United which has picked up steam thanks to Bernie Sanders and Lawrence Lessig.
*Note the boxing reference.