Corporate Control Over Major Party Conventions

[lostnfound]

Despite my own conviction that corporations practically own the political process in the U.S., Jim Hightower's commentary today -- about corporate influence over the Democratic & Republican conventions -- shocked even me.

http://www.jimhightower.com/air/read.asp?id=11197
Here's the most significant excerpt:

By 2000, there were more corporate executives and lobbyists at the two conventions than delegates, with the likes of Microsoft and AT&T paying $2 million each to worm their way inside where they could schmooze with the top office holders of both parties and win favor for their special governmental needs. And now, at next year's two presidential conventions, corporations are expected to put up more than $100 million to pay about three-fifths of the total cost of the conventions.--Jim Hightower

What can we do about this??
On edit: I mean, what immediate, practical actions can we do?
-A letter campaign?
-Street protests at the conventions?
-A class-action lawsuit on behalf of the American citizenry?
-Try to force all of our candidates to speak out against it (a cold day in Texas, no doubt)?

This process is utterly corrupt.

[lostnfound]

1. Is this surprising to ANYONE else?

I'm surprised at the lack of response to this. Am I the only one who found it shocking?

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

2. I'm not surprised in the least

except that they had to pay two million - I expected Dems to roll over for a lot less. Good, I guess.

[bloom]

3. yes it is outrageous

And I don't know what's the best thing either.

Maybe we should join forces with the Freepers and all protest at both conventions. I really don't think most of your average (non-corporate) Republicans like this any more than we do.

As the Democratic UNDERGROUND - I would think that getting more power to the people would be the goal.

???

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

4. kick

warning: unpleasant facts about your Democratic party.

[MadHound]

5. Two things that can be done

First, push hard for public campaign financing. If the candidates answer only to the people who elected them, then the corporations lose their influence. There are currently four states that have PCF, North Carolina, Maine, Arizona, and Vermont. And it is working. Twenty eight states can bring this up through initiative ballot issues. The rest would have to work through their state assemblies. Just the sheer publicity of this would shake up the status quo.

Second, support the only major liberal party that doesn't take corporate money, the Greens. If the Dems see that a sizeable chunk of their constituents are going Green over this issue, perhaps they will change. Yes yes, you could stay and try to change things from within the system, but answer yourself honestly on this question; Which group do you think the Dems will listen to, the big corporate donors waving money in their face, or a group of disaffected progressives yelling about the evils of corporate money? Be honest now, and remember this is the party that brought us the entire concept of soft money to begin with.

This is the most important issue of our times, for in all of it's magnitude it touchs on how every other governmental issue is decided. If you wish to learn more try the following

<http://www.publicampaign.org/>
<http://www.californiacleanmoney.org/>
<http://www.grannyd.com/>

[lostnfound]

7. Thanks for the references, Madhound

I knew about only the first one.

I'd read an article once that Vermont's public financing law had gone through during Dean's first campaign but prior to his second campaign for governor, so he had to adjust, but the article noted that he had made the adjustment successfully. I don't know where he stands on this election as far as soliciting corporate contributions -- of course, everybody knows DK is 'clean' and some DK supporters have mumbled about Dean moving away from some earlier pledge on his campaign funding -- but I still have the impression that Dean's presidential campaign is largely populist -- relatively free of corporate influence. Anybody know if this is true?

The Repubs are all about corporate cash of course. But as far as the Dems go, I think there's actually some hope. There's been a dramatic increase in small individual donations this year. We Dems should push our party and our candidates to go further on this issue -- they might be more willing to do so after seeing the success of this year's grassroots financing. A public commitment to clean(er) hands might energize and broaden the Democratic base.

[MadHound]

17. I wish you luck on your quest to clean up the Dems

I've known several people who have tried to get them to clean up, with no success. In my opinion it is time to bite the bullet and admit that the Democratic party is just as addicted to corporate money as the 'Pugs are. Think of it as doing an intervention for a friend. You love them, you know they are good people, but damned when they're riding that high they are assholes who are only thinking of their next fix. And now it is time for their friends to do something dramatic to shock them into going cold turkey. Its hard and brutal and hurts everyone involved, but it is the only way for the person to return to health. I'm hoping a big enough swing to the Greens will shock the Dems out of their money habit. One can only hope.

[Armstead]

6. The Process IS utterly corrupt

I heard Hightower's commentary, and he's absolutely right.

But as long as Democrats keep kissing the corporate butt, we're going to continue getting such outrages.

(I cite Democrats because it's just expected behavior for Republicans.)

[kodi]

14. actually, it is not corruption, but natural for business to do this.

we have to stop using business as boogie men. bitching about business lobbying is as futile as bitching about the rain. it makes us look damn stupid that we blame business because it indicates that we do not understand modern society and how government impacts it.

national governmental funding has reached $2.5 trillion out of a $10 trilion economy, that is not including state or local governent funding. so between 1/3rd and 1/4th of this society is the government. government regulations and decision-making runs shot tru this society. there is little that goverment does that does not affect people and businesses, either by the actions of government thru implimentation of legislation, or thru its fiscal and spending actions.

it is natural to try to shape one's environment, not evil, and business is trying to influence an artifice that many businesses rely upon for survival. there is no morality in this it is a-moral, not immoral.

is it not clear to people that it is the problems of the success of the New Deal that there now exists a large governmental organization that it can be manipulatd for personal gain?

i dont blame "bidness" so much as i blame america's citizens.

we built a great engine for social change with the US government post New Deal and WWII, then when it gave enough of us what we wanted, we walked away from using it leaving it to moneied interests.

if, in ten thousand towns across america tens of thousands of people were actively engaged in making sure their government ran as efficiently and uncorruptable as possible, disregarding special interest demands we would be where we are? hardly so.

it's our fault, we let it happen and because we thought we had won some sort of social revolution and got lazy. we did not recognize that once a large governent was built it could manipulated for self interest.

we, the people let go of the steering wheel of government and business got its hands on it, but only because we, the people let it happen.

the blame is ours, not theirs.

[Armstead]

16. I agree with you to an extent....

Business per se is not necessarily to blame. It's more the fact that we have allowed them to gain so much power. And how our attitudes as a society have put business up on some throne.

It's a chicken-and-egg thing, though. Democrats and liberals have traditionally stood as the counterbalance to that. Evening the scales with otehr values, and providing a voice for workers, consumers and otehr interests.

The probvlem is that by shifting to kow-rowing to business so much over the last two decades, the Democratic Party has largely abdicated that role. That leaves average people with very little voice in government to check the power of business and maintain that balance.

[kodi]

18. yes, indeed, "liberals" built a large government to solve social problems

but this tool has been left laying around and used for other purposes.

remember what JFK once said.

"OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT DISCHARGED BY AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF VIRTUOUS ENDS. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES WITH SOCIAL INVENTION, WITH POLITICAL SKILL, AND EXECUTIVE VIGOR."

we have abdicated our responsibilities as citizens in a republic by allowing special interests to use government to the advantage of a few instead of what it was built for; for us all.

[im4edwards]

8. who would you have pick up the tab for this end of season party ?

no corporate money and its a confrence call or more likely email.

And nothing to watch on TV.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

9. what do the corporations get in return for footing the bill?

are they doing it out of the kindness of their hearts?

[im4edwards]

11. corporations get access and favors like always

its just another donation intended to curry favor down the road only of a more broadbased nature. One check, many office holders.

goodness of their hearts ! you need to be in Vegas !

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

13. The Democrats sell access and favors to corporate lobbyists?

Isn't that illegal?

[im4edwards]

19. because you will never prove the sold favors, its not illegal

they are not stupid.

Besides for this sort of general access they are looking for favorable treatment as general areas get touched as opposed to specific points in specific regions.

But you are aware that this is the very nature of politics, right ? I mean its been this way forever.

[Terwilliger]

21. OH! Well, that makes it alright then

:eyes:

[ShaneGR]

10. The Dem convention will be mostly labor and individual money this year

Compare where the money is coming from on the Repug side to the Dem side. BIG difference.

[im4edwards]

12. I'd like to see the books prooving that

but I'm sure that this won't be forthcoming. Don't kid yourself into thinking our party is markedly less of a whore for money.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

15. Dems usually get 20% from unions, 80% from corporations

while cons get 100% from corporations and business. This was before McCain/Feingold, and I don't know how the numbers break out now.

[im4edwards]

20. I could accept that breakdown

do the conventions fall under the legislation ?