We've spent a lot of time talking about Super PACs and the Billionaire Boys Club. Why does this matter so much? Because it's poisoning, ruining, corrupting our democracy. I know it sounds trite -- "ruining our democracy" -- but I can find no more appropriate words.
Our founding fathers had a vision of a country where everyone participated in choosing our government. Yes, there were terrible flaws -- women and slaves certainly couldn't participate -- but it was better that one-king rule, and gradually we got to a place where everyone was involved... Where the streetsweepers vote mattered just as much as Donald Trump's.
But now, we're taking giant steps backward, away from the founders' vision. Back to what they fought against. Only today, the billionaires are king. They want to control the levers of government at any cost. Literally. Money is no object to them. The billionaires have a huge interest in controlling the president of the United States. A few million dollars is a small investment for the returns they will get from the policies they'll have their president enact...
And Mitt Romney would be their willing instrument. Yes, even the wealthy Mitt Romney, perhaps the wealthiest man to ever run for President -- he of the elevator for his garage -- even he is a supplicant to the billionaires.
Democrats have been forced to play this game too, and the entire spectrum now is corrupt. But it is clear that the vast majority of the billionaire money is on the right. This money is corrupting our political system. We have ventured so far from the vision of the founding fathers that if they were still alive, I'm certain those founders would start another revolution. I blame Citizens United.
We need a president willing and able to fight the most important fight of our generation -- passing a constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United. We cannot allow billionaires to purchase a government or a president. Tell them: We will not allow our country to be bought. This is a battle worth waging.
Cross-posted at "The War Room" blog. Follow Jennifer Granholm on Facebook and Twitter and "The War Room" on Facebook and Twitter. "The War Room with Jennifer Granholm" airs weeknights at 9/8c on Current TV.
Follow Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JenGranholm
William Astore: What Do Corporations Want?
 |
 |
|
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Votes (270 to win) |
332 | 206 |
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 65,899,660 | 60,932,152 |
| Percent | 51.1% | 47.2% |
| Democrats* | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Current Senate | 53 | 47 |
| Seats gained or lost | +2 | -2 |
| New Total | 55 | 45 |
| Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats won | 201 | 234 |
Oxymoron. 'Class Warfare'
Is foreshadowing.
Unfortunately, 99% of us are to 'in hock' to breathe, let alone take up arms. Until a transformational, revolutionary leader shows up we'll just have to keep grazing the grass and paying off our debt.
I think the Solution will start with a large movement of people that stop paying credit cards and mortgages...the userers need to be throws out of our Temple, i.e. Country.
This is free speech, sorry governor...
In fact it is not free speech because it drowns out the voices of millions of (real) people who happen to not have millions in their pockets. What we have then is a classist system in which a handful of corporations and billionaires matter and real living breathing people do not. It's a fraud and anybody who supports it is a thief. They are stealing democracy out from under us.
Or do you concede that "speech" can come in the form of printed materials, television ads, radio shows, etc?
Falling back on the "freedom of the press" will not help you here either, since any such freedom that covers books would surely cover TV ads as well...
If you let another conservative on the SCOTUS, we're probably screwed for another 20 years.
20 years, possibly longer since these folks do get the best health care for themselves...
Caution, this link contains language that some people will find objectionable.
Personally I find the situation he describes far more "obscene" than the language he uses to describe it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acLW1vFO-2Q
How many of us would join them? Show of hands please? More than a few in this room but hardly any elsewhere. The #1 problem is that we, as a people, have allowed this to happen to us, to our country. We have elected those without the strength of character to resist on our behalf, and who, in fact, have aided the Billionaires in gaining their outsized influence. It is time now to throw these bums out of office. Anyone who opposes serious campaign finance reform, any who opposes strong enforcement of financial regulations such as Glass-Steagall and other rules that have been weakened or fallen by the wayside: Out! If we can't reform the system from the inside, then revolution from the outside becomes necessary. That is, if you care. I do.
"It is the nature of priveliged position that it develops its own political justification and often the economic and social doctrine that serves it best." John Kenneth Galbraith, 1996