The roar of the crowd, the flashbulbs, the excitement, the spirit of competition the... corporate logo-addled uniforms?
One might be describing a NASCAR event, or perhaps even an NBA game in the near future if NBA commissioner David Stern gets his way. Or, one could be describing a political campaign rally, if Congress was as willing as the NBA and NASCAR to proudly display the logos of the big corporations that finance them.
We recently launched the Suits for Sale campaign (suitsforsale.org) to bring attention to the dominance of big money in politics. It's no secret that in the wake of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, super PACs have flooded campaigns with more money than ever before. So what better way to inform voters of who they are really voting for then to adorn our elected officials with the very corporate logos that brought them to power?
Let's look at Rep. John Boehner of Ohio's 8th Congressional district, current Speaker of the House, major corporate donation sponge and model of our first Congressional jacket poster. A quick glance at Speaker Boehner's top contributors reveals a whole slew of heavy hitters: AT&T, FirstEnergy Corp, Swisher International (maker of "America's favorite Swisher Sweets Cigars"), and American Electric Power. Sallie Mae, Walmart and Goldman Sachs were also big time contributors in previous campaign cycles.
For the 2012 election cycle, running completely unopposed by the Democrats, Boehner has raised more than 18 million campaign dollars -- nearly twice as much as he raised in 2010 when he actually had an opponent. Even considering his elevated status as Speaker, it's still a shocking amount of money.
Boehner once told CNN: "I am the business community, that's who I am," while in the same breath saying, "I don't do special interest favors." This is the same John Boehner, who, as Congress debated the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform act in 2009, invited hundreds of financial industry lobbyists to Washington for a strategy session on de-fanging any significant reform. The same John Boehner who rakes in millions of dollars from the healthcare industry while presiding over a House of Representatives that has voted more than 30 times to repeal Obamacare -- and has done little else.
The Suits for Sale campaign might seem whimsical, a Jon Stewart-esque way of calling attention to a serious problem in politics, but let's envision it as something more. Let's envision an aroused citizenry calling for accountability in their elected officials. Imagine hundreds of voters gathering outside of their Senators and Representatives offices -- even the White House -- with real corporate-logo covered suit jackets, demanding their officials to wear the colorful depictions of who they truly represent.
Who knows, maybe if Congress actually had to conspicuously display their sponsors like NASCAR drivers, they might think twice about whose dollars they take.
Follow Ralph Nader on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Ralph_Nader
Roseanne Barr: I Approve This Message...
 |
 |
|
| 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 |
Democracy in practice. Isn't it great?
Peter Katz
This paragraph might as well serve as the face of the Republican/TP'ers.
We the People deserve better than this!!
here soon enough! How disgusting!
So, he's crying at
the money he used to get? Or that he's
not getting enough?
Ralph Nader, along with Chris Hedges, spoke loud and clear throughout the 2008 election cycle that voting (D) or (R) was virtually inconsequential as they are merely two sides of the same corporatist coin and, yet again, he was proven right.
Ralph Nader is one of a very small number of people in this world who can hold their head high with the full knowledge that they never once compromised their beliefs by supporting a candidate or policy because it was the lesser of two evils. He is absolutely correct in stating that America is where it is because the people brought it upon themselves.
Propaganda only works if you are intellectually lazy. That's why so many fools still think Al Gore would have won if Ralph Nader weren't in the race. Next time any of you feel the urge to criticize Mr. Nader, put up your own record of public service to show where you EARNED the right to bad mouth a true PATRIOT through your superior contributions to America and it's people.
Should read "...THAN to adorn..."
http://www.tomdispatch.com/blog/175595/
-- Ralph Nader
"...The crusading attorney first made headlines in 1965 with his book Unsafe at Any Speed, a scathing indictment that lambasted the auto industry for producing unsafe vehicles. The book led to congressional hearings and a series of automobile safety laws passed in 1966.
Since 1966, Nader has been responsible for: at least eight major federal consumer protection laws such as the motor vehicle safety laws, Safe Drinking Water Act; the launching of federal regulatory agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environment Protection Agency (EPA), and Consumer Product Safety Administration; the recall of millions of defective motor vehicles; access to government through the Freedom of Information Act of 1974; and for many lives saved.
[snip]
The largest of the Nader organizations is Public Citizen, founded in 1971. The groups under the Public Citizen umbrella include Congress Watch, Health Research Group, Critical Mass Energy Project, Global Trade Watch, and the Litigation Group. Public Citizen's nationwide membership has grown to 150,000. Citizen Works is among the newest of Nader's dozens of inspired or founded organizations..."
http://www.citizenworks.org/admin/staff/staff_nader.php
Citizen Works
"Ralph Nader has been called one of America's most effective social critics. He also has been called everything from Muckraker to Consumer Crusader to Public Defender. His documented criticism of government and industry has had widespread effect on public awareness and bureaucratic power. He is the "U.S.'s toughest customer" as Time magazine noted. His inspiration and example have galvanized a whole population of consumer advocates, citizen activists, and public interest lawyers who in turn have established their own organizations throughout the country.
The crusading attorney first made headlines in 1965 with his book Unsafe at Any Speed, a scathing indictment that lambasted the auto industry for producing unsafe vehicles. The book led to congressional hearings and a series of automobile safety laws passed in 1966.
Since 1966, Nader has been responsible for: at least eight major federal consumer protection laws such as the motor vehicle safety laws, Safe Drinking Water Act; the launching of federal regulatory agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environment Protection Agency (EPA), and Consumer Product Safety Administration; the recall of millions of defective motor vehicles; access to government through the Freedom of Information Act of 1974; and for many lives saved..."
The Republicans would pass it in a heartbeat, because they don't want a viable third party either.
Just think, no more Ross Perots or Ralph Naders messing up corporations' kabuki theater elections.