Forum Post: One Feasible Demand

I know that a few people may have alluded to this in one form or another, but I keep feeling compelled to throw this single demand out with some context, to be discussed, embellished or destroyed by all of you:

• STRICT, PUBLIC ONLY CAMPAIGN FINANCING FOR ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL OFFICES.

This could be accomplished by a Constitutional amendment. I’ve read that several amendments were demanded by the population and ratified by the states within roughly a year. Does this sound too simple? Too difficult? Perhaps. But so many of the issues championed by this diverse movement could be directly affected by simply taking wealthy individuals and corporate financial influence out of politics and elections. Health care policy, tax laws, free trade agreements , financial regulation, environmental regulations, energy production, foreign policy, district gerrymandering, promise of jobs in congressional districts, pork barrel spending…..the list could go on and on. All of these could be dramatically transformed by implementing strictly regulated public only campaign financing.

If all candidates were publicly financed, this would eliminate politician’s dependence on corporations for finances and severely limit the influence that they, and wealthy individuals can have on elections. Return “free speech” to people and strike down the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizen’s United v. FEC, which made unlimited corporate contributions legal, and expand on that by abolishing corporate money completely. We cannot limit true “speech”, so if corporations or anyone else wants to lobby an elected official, fine, but take the money out of it and make them explain the merits of their desires without the promise of campaign funds, future jobs or other favors. Also, there must be a prohibition against the rich self funding their own campaigns.

All of us, including myself, decry the greed of corporations and their narrow self interests, but the fact is we can’t stifle them, nor should we want to. They employee many, our savings are often based on their performance through various retirement plans, they often do drive innovation and not all of them warrant vilification. The fact is that they exist solely to make a profit for their shareholders. It is sad that this drive for profit often conflicts with the well being of our planet and all of the species that inhabit it, but while corporations often appear to be autonomous, unstoppable machines, they can be controlled and regulated with the help of lawmakers that aren’t beholden to them and without stifling their ability to do what they were designed to do.

I applaud all of the people who have cast aside their complacency and are willing to get out in the streets and draw attention to the issues that have an effect on all of us. They have more fortitude than I do and they deserve thanks from all of us who share their views but for whatever reason refuse to join them and raise our voices with theirs. The organizers of this movement also should be commended, but I implore all of you across the country and the world to formulate a few simple demands that will allow the rest of us to stand with you and inspire us to become more involved. It has been over a month now. You must vocalize your demands and not just blame others, because too many people are dismissing you due to your inability to put out a unified message. If “horizontal democracy” is to flourish, you must prove that you can accomplish more than our elected representatives that talk a lot, but accomplish nothing.

Again, I humbly offer a suggestion for one demand:

STRICT, PUBLIC ONLY CAMPAIGN FINANCING FOR ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL OFFICES.

Take your government back and make your vote count again! This does not require a revolution, yet…..