Forum Post: Campaign Finance Reform needs to be addressed
Posted 13 years ago on Oct. 9, 2011, 12:45 a.m. EST by milessmiles
(10)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
The way elections are funded in this country are at the heart of all the problems that have led to where things are today.
It's a sad fact that all politicians, in order to hold office, are required to dance to the tunes being played by "special interest"* groups which are funded by and represent a small % of society. It is all but impossible to win an election without the fundraising support these groups and a major party affiliation offer, the latter often demanding additional fundraising from members for the party itself.
This is the reality even for politicians that got into politics for all the right reasons. It is where noble intentions and democracy die, and it is where plutocracy is born.
I've heard some of the demands from people down at Zucotti Park, and read some more on this forum. Many are common sense, but too many are fringe views that if implemented would not reflect a general consensus of the 99%. For me, it's all about Campaign Finance Reform. Taking the influence that only millionaires can afford out of politics is something that can be agreed on by everyone, and it's been on too few people's lips. Forget everything else, for now. Fixing the way elections are funded are the only way to have a real democracy in which the only music a politician has to dance to is the music being played by his/her constituents. Once we know our government acting out the will of the people, then we can talk about what changes should be made.
*I didn't mean "special interest" as the pejorative it's usually used as. Many social/labor/environmental/civil rights groups funded by individual donors are "special interest", and are a sign of a healthy democracy. I'd save the pejorative for lobbying firms funded by corporations to look out for their own interests.
Fund political campaigns with Tax dollars. This would take some discussion to figure out how exactly to make this work but it's not that hard.
Remove special interest groups and lobbyists from Washington and allow them to only have contact with our politicians in open public forums.
Make all political campaign donations of any kind illegal.
Do these 3 things and it would put the power back in the peoples hands. We would be the ones that owned and controlled our greedy politicians. These 3 things also step on no ones social or political views and directly address and attack the problem.
Interesting ideas. I'm glad someone has them, because I have none.
It's a difficult subject because you start getting into 1st amendment rights and PACs that are technically "unaffiliated" with a candidate. One doesn't even need to attack a candidate directly to influence public view, all you need to do is attack their stance on an issue and let people connect the dots themselves.
When you bring in the 1st amendment, It is a difficult subject. In a way i almost don't care what the constitution says. People take it to literally and refuse to accept that our founding fathers wrote it in a way so it could be changed. They knew that it wasn't perfect.
People use the constitution more as a political football then what i believe our constitution to be ... A guide to help govern our country.
yes - I agree we need campaign finance reform - it's fundamental. Time to see it for what it is... we need to get money out of politics. I would like Occupy Wallstreet to be a movement toward that goal - until we get money out we can't have any discourse on real legislation, real solutions. Common sense for the common good does not come from corporate influence, but from people who ask their representatives to give them voice for a living, breathing, human. I am absolutely certain our founding fathers did not envision a plutocracy for wall street cronies or corporate socialism as the heart of America, it was a cry for the end of an aristocracy and just like the aristocracy of the revolution, the Wall Street has become the most powerful ruling class of our nation. It's time for change.
Milessmiles - Bravo, I cannot agree more - this should be the first and central focus of the protest. We need the government acting in America's best interest first - the rest will then follow. What amazes me is how we allowed the legalized bribery to take hold in the first place. It must be corrected first thing!
It's not the most glamorous and attention-holding of subjects, that's for sure. And it's a tricky one too, because you have to consider free speech rights with any kind of limitation on how money can be spent, even for someone who's very wealthy. But over the past few days of listening to people, it seems that most people involved in the OWS movement are upset because they feel like their voice doesn't count as much as others, and taking to the streets is a way for their voices to be heard loud and clear. Beyond that though, CFR is how you make sure your voice counts as much as the next person's.
Amen - I can tell you have thought this through. I just wish others could see how important it is. I brought it up at the office a few days ago and most of them just looked at me as if they were confused and then went back to talking about sports. For our country's sake I hope people start realizing the precarious situation we are in.
I get bored just thinking about CFR, and I wrote a whole damn post about it. But people are bringing so much energy here, what a shame it would be to squander it by meandering around aimlessly or being represented by a few people with fringe leftist ideas.
https://sites.google.com/site/the99percentdeclaration/
I like the attention to CFR in that, but I take issue with all the other stuff being mixed in. We need to fix our democracy first, then the other stuff can be implemented or not implemented, depending on the will of the voters.
This proposed plan of action was put together by some lawyers and college students and tries to address some of the most pressing issues but the bottom line is we need an elected assembly or congress to write the petition of grievances and approved by the majority of the 99% https://sites.google.com/site/the99percentdeclaration/
Well as one of the 99% , I'd vote "no" on that petition unless every demand that doesn't specifically address how elections are financed were removed. I also don't like the part about demanding every member of every branch of government resign their posts. And there's no demand #9, that's just sloppy editing.
Well you should run to be one of the 870 delegates who will meet in July and vote on the entire petition, This is merely a proposal and guidelines drafted by a couple lawyers and some college students.
In every society there comes a turning point; in America we turn now. I ask you to imagine a once free America. Imagine an America which promoted individual liberty and personal responsibility, not a welfare state. Imagine an America where the Constitution applied to every person and every case, no matter how bad the crime or criminal at suspect. Imagine an America restrained by the Constitution, due process and the rule of law. Imagine an America devoid of secret watch lists, secret prisons and secret assassinations.
Imagine a moral society which only engaged in just war and only as a last resort. Imagine an America, where the decision to go to war, is actually one declared by congress. Imagine an America which never endorsed the use of preventive wars to promote peace. Imagine an America where torture was never acceptable, even if called "enhanced" interrogation techniques. Imagine an America in which a warrant was always required to search or seize persons or property. Imagine an America which respected the writ of habeas corpus and condemned indefinitely detaining individuals.
Imagine an America where prosperity wasn't derived from private printing presses, but from true wealth. Imagine an America not ravished by endlessly spending a fiat currency in pursuit of economic growth; all the while promoting the welfare and warfare state. Imagine an America which encouraged savings at the same time destroying that very possibility by devaluing their currency through the deceitful act of controlled monetary inflation. Imagine an America where coins were still worth their weight. Imagine an American in which gold and silver were actually legal tender.
Imagine an America where children are not arrested for front yard lemonade stands. Imagine an America where you couldn’t be arrested and jailed for gardening on your property. Imagine an America without checkpoints where blood could be drawn against one's will, and without warrant. I ask you to imagine an America where citizens could make the simple decision to drink raw milk. Imagine an America which valued personal choice and responsibility above dictating morality through law. Imagine an America which allowed companies to actually protect their property and customers. Imagine an America where individuals actually had the right to their life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as long as they didn’t endanger others.
Imagine if rights are actually derived from creation, and not from government.
Imagine now an America in which citizens understood and respected the experiment of liberty. Imagine now an America which still embraces the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Imagine now an America where the wretched refuse, the homeless, those searching for a New Colossus could venture to experience liberty. Imagine now America no longer safeguarded the liberty they sought, but only the security and secrecy of the state.
Imagine an America where ignorance isn’t sold as wisdom; and tolerance not delivered by force. Imagine an America where politicians stood behind American principles. Imagine an America where oath to the Constitution was taken seriously and always upheld. Imagine an America of resounding liberty; not one of ever incrementally increasing tyranny. Imagine America as she once was: free and prosperous.
Now try to imagine an idea. Imagine an idea so powerful, so strong in it conviction, no army or government could stop it. Imagine a return of the respect of the Constitution. Imagine a return to due process and the rule of law in all cases. Imagine a return to sound currency and sound monetary policy. Imagine the abolishment of partaking down the dangerous path of legislating morality. Imagine a return to a foreign policy of freedom and not of preemptive wars and nation building. Imagine the return to the ideals of extending friendship to all, and having entangling alliances with no one. Above all else, Imagine Liberty and understand the responsibility having it demands from each of us. Imagine America not as your Empire but as a Republic.
Freedom is a relatively new idea, liberty a young experiment. Imagine this youthful ideal lost to simple apathy and content. Imagine a chance to restore this ideal. Imagine if we had the chance to Restore America Now.
Imagine a Revolution. A Ron Paul Revolution.