Get The Money Out Of Politics Or Our Democracy Is Lost

[All-In]

Every problem our country / world faces pales in comparison to our number one problem.

Our government is basically an auction.

The highest bidder / campaign contributor gets the legislation they want.

Just ask the Koch Brothers.

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/apr/02/harry-reid/harry-reid-says-koch-brothers-are-richest-family-w/

And the Kochs are only a part of the problem.

I think getting the money out 100% could be a party plank. No one can say our government isn't favoring the rich with everything they do. Even Obamacare paid insurance companies first. For the poor to get a crumb, the stockholders and PHARMA get a steak.

Get. The. Money. Out.

[Hoyt]

1. Basically agree with what you are saying, but are we going to prohibit Planned Parenthood, AARP,

Sierra Club, NAACP, unions, etc., from contributing, lobbying, and endorsing candidates. I hope not. Maybe there is some way to limit it.

[comradebillyboy]

3. Once again reality intrudes on idealism. nt

[All-In]

4. Not Really - Non Profit Versus For Profit

What do they hope to get for their $$?

Better government? Ok.

[Fresh_Start]

5. every right wing organization can set up a non-profit to promote their goal

so its not a valid distinction.

[SharonClark]

6. They already have.

[Not Ruth]

2. Money is the root of all evil

[SharonClark]

7. No, it's not.

[0rganism]

8. i'm afraid that train has left the station

to get money out of politics (e.g. roll back Citizens United decision) requires political power and clout. now that politics is infested with money, the servants of said money have damn near all the political power and clout, whereas the opposition persists without either, and there is no remaining constitutional mechanism to change it back.

it looks to me like money-in-politics lane is a one-way street. how the hell can we get it out now? voting? big money owns the voting machines and the mass media, so good luck with that. legal actions? with every passing day the courts become more and more stacked in favor of lucre, so tick-tock tick-tock. plus, the Citizens United decision embraces donor anonymity and unlimited contributions. it is now the law of the land and stands as precedent in future cases.

Plato observed in The Republic that democracies are an unstable transitional stage on the path to tyranny. recent circumstances suggest to me that he was correct.

the toothpaste is out of the tube. extraordinary circumstances and actions will be needed to put it back in.