In the past, corporations and rich donors were savvy enough to split their giving to both political parties so that both sides would have a financial incentive to protect them. Yes, they might lean more to the Republican side, but they gave enough to the Democrats to get them properly motivated to look out for corporate interests.
This is what has led to the two parties playing good cop-bad cop with us for the past 30 years. Republicans are the bad cops who rough up the middle class and the Democrats come in to sooth you over as they pretty much go along with very similar "pro-business" policies.
But now there is an important change in that dynamic. Multinational corporations seem to have pushed their chips all in on the Republican side. The Chamber of Commerce is planning to spend $75 million in these elections and 85% of it will go to Republicans.
Of course, there is a huge downside to this for the average American. The Republicans have an enormous financial advantage because of this and many other "independent" groups like Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS piling on money collected from some of the richest people in the country. This is their class warfare to make sure the top 1% and their tax cuts are protected. And they seem to have chosen a very good time with the anti-incumbent feeling in the air so strong and the economy hurting so much.
So, what's the upside? Well, they've given Democrats no incentive not to fight back (which is their usual M.O. in the good cop-bad cop games they've been playing until now). Now that the Democrats feel significantly endangered and there is no good argument for holding back, it's game on.
If the Democrats manage to hold on, for the first time in a long time they would have an incentive to fight back against a system that is rigged in favor of the rich and the powerful. Because those same folks just declared war on them. If they don't join the battle soon, they are going to get wiped out in 2012. If you thought business interests spent a lot of money in this election, wait till you get a load of 2012.
To be clear, of course not all business interests are nefarious. They are a very legitimate constituency to consider when making policy. But when corporations use their power to kill a bill that would have stopped subsidies for offshoring jobs, then that is exactly the kind of abuse of power that is hurting this country. And that just happened last month.
Can you believe our politicians give tax breaks to companies to offshore our jobs? Well, that's the current state of things, because the system is deeply corrupt and both sides were bought off. Were. Now there is some hope the Democrats won't be in the next term.
Of course, the Democrats could be wiped off the board next month. Or the lesson they learn from this election could be that they have to suck up to corporate interest even harder. But so far, the indications are good. President Obama is fighting back on the campaign trail. Nancy Pelosi has had some harsh words for these corporate donors. And even Tim Kaine compared secret corporate giving to Watergate. You know when Tim Kaine gets tough with corporate funders there is a sea change.
So, the silver lining is that after this election we have some chance of getting the Democratic Party back. That for the first time in decades they might be properly motivated to be on our side and looking out for us instead of their corporate donors - because they no longer have those donors.
Follow Cenk Uygur on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheYoungTurks
You see their lack of knowledge of the most mundane thing, let alone the constitution? OMG- Heaven help us, if the voters do no go out in droves & vote for the responsible party!
I propose that a flurry of special resolutions should go to the next annual meetings of corporate America demanding full, public disclosure of all political "speech" and prohibiting future spending on political campaigns. If they have all that money to squander on Republican half-wits they should simply declare a dividend and send it to the shareholders. We'll use it as we see fit.
Many politicians give at least lip service to the concept that there is too much money influencing politics and elections today.
Most politicians have expressed at least a concern about the growing federal deficit.
People on social security, or disability, have to pay back 50 cents of every dollar over a set amount they are allowed to earn each year (a sum near the poverty level).
No one seems to have the political will to increase taxes to reduce the deficit.
Why not apply the same line of reasoning to "campaign contributions"? 50 cents out of every dollar donated to a campaign should be required by law to be applied directly to reducing the deficit.
It would reduce the impact of the flood of money influencing elections. It would also serve to reduce the deficit by hundreds of millions of dollars. Those paying for it were giving that money away anyway.
Why not have those funds serve at least some good for everyone? Paying down the deficit helps us all, rich and poor, regardless of party.
He his right about some of this however the democrats still have the lead in "hard money"
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/10/15/dems_retain_cash_edge_over_republicans_for_final_push_107598.html
Hopefully, this will get the Democrats to finally act like Democrats in Congress when they retain the House and Senate this November 2.
Now, I used to think that the Tea Party was really mad at Wall Street, and the Bailout (Bush's, by the way). But it appears that they are lining up to support the big banks and big corporations by supporting Republicans. I can't help wondering if all the Tea Party candidates who actually make it into the Congress will be good little soldiers and follow their marching orders by their Republican leaders.
Democrats, and Republicans who have been kicked out of their party, get out and vote!
Is that what we're supposed to believe?
What matters now is that moderate and progressive voters work toward finding and supporting better candidates in 2012.
Frankly, the DNC needs Howard Dean back. Dean was instrumental in the 50 state strategy that paid dividends in 2006 and 2008. Obama and his crew gave Dean the back of their hand after the 2008 elections and we were stuck with Rahm Emanuel and more of his corporatism...which apparently was just fine and dandy with Obama.
I can't wait to watch Obama when his precious bipartisanship dream blows up during his impeachment hearings.