“The intensifying flood of uncapped donations to outside political groups is transforming not just campaigns but the entire business of politics,” as The New York Times writes this morning.
“Once seasonal affairs, campaigns from the presidential race down to House contests are becoming longer and more intense, driven by deep-pocketed donors eager to see incumbents pummeled throughout the political cycle. Decisions about attack ads and negative campaigning that once weighed on candidates are now made by consultants and donors with little or no accountability to the public.
“The transformation drew new attention last week with the revelation that Fred Davis, a prominent Republican advertising strategist, had sought financing from a conservative billionaire for a $10 million campaign linking President Obama with the fiery, race-infused sermons of the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., Mr. Obama’s former pastor. The proposal was condemned by, among others, Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign, which has been trying to keep the focus on the economy.”
“Amid the first presidential campaign since the Supreme Court opened the door for ‘super PACs’ and unlimited campaign spending, it is still unclear how voters will respond. But the political professionals who make a living from the billions of dollars spent each cycle on campaigns are quickly embracing the shift.”
The rest of the article is here.
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This is the number one issue of our time. Citizens United has made a serious problem into an absolute out of control buy off of our government and the infrastructure that took a century and a half to build. Every other important issue is just a symptom of special interest money controlling our government through the republican and democratic parties. I know I am a broken record on this issue but until we vote for those who openly oppose special interest money funding our political parties/ elections as well as closing the revolving door between lobbyists and government we will continue to watch our democratic republic disappear.
I wrote this for a handout when we decided to run in 2010. Citizen’s United was the final straw that pushed a life long activist to run for political office.
February 2010
Ben Emery for U.S. Congress, California 4th District
For the People for a Change: A Ballot Box Revolution
“From the nature of things, every society must at all times possess within itself the sovereign powers of legislation.” — Thomas Jefferson, 1774
Why am I running?
For too long we have been represented by politicians who are seeking higher office, and in the process make financial deals to advance their goals. The last 30 years have been no exception, and in fact have accelerated the process to astronomical proportions. We no longer have a government that is of the people, for the people, and by the people of the United States of America but instead we have a government that is controlled by entities that have no loyalty except to those who will increase their bottom lines. We no longer have a Democracy, but have a corporatacracy in its place. Before, we had politicians bought off by campaign donations and special treatment, but in the last decade we have allotted them a seat at the legislative table. Who writes our energy policies, the oil companies? Who writes our Health Care policies, pharmaceutical and insurance companies? Authors of our Environmental policies are industrial polluters of the air, water, and soil. Transnational corporations and their CEOs shape our Trade and Tax policies, which allow our jobs to move out of the country while providing the executives with multimillion dollar bonuses. This has to stop, and only people who are not in the pockets of these corrupters of democracy can do it. I’m someone who will serve the people, not the corporate interests. Our democracy is in the jaws of death, and we need to snatch it out before it is too late.
We can do this by promoting and supporting the following:
Public Financing of campaigns, progressive campaign spending caps, and instant runoff voting
A restructure of our tax policies on the top earning 0.5%
Reinstatement of selective import tariffs to protect and support good paying jobs in America
Breaking up companies that are “too big to fail” by enforcing Sherman Anti Trust laws
Development of strong local economies and governmental agencies
Small business protection (small businesses create 60% of American jobs)
Infrastructure and development of Green technology to be at the forefront of the new industrial revolution
Solvency of Medicare and Social Security
Access and affordability of Health Insurance and Health Care
A United States that spreads peace around the globe instead of a Military Industrial Complex
Balancing budgets by reducing the size of the federal government and its spending
Reduction of national debt
A long-term sustainable economy that does not depend on foreign resources to function
The United States of America is at another crossroads, and it will take patriots to rise to the occasion once again to put their country before their ideology and political party. Join me by sending a message to Washington D.C. and to the two major parties by electing a third-party candidate who will speak for the people’s interests, not those of the corporations and ruling elite.
Thank you for your support. I look forward to representing you in the 112th Congress.
Ben, I agree with so much of what you advocate. And my evolution and about face, from the 20 year old, conflicted guy, whose inbred sense of duty tipped the scales in favor of withrawing from UCONN and enlisting in the USMC for two years–an automatic ticket to Nam–from my conservative Republican rearing and leanings to my present loathing for the right wing, intellectually began with a college course in 1970 describing how corporations were taking over control of our democracy. I found that disturbing to my belief system. And in a history class, I wrote a paper–being cocky, always getting As in history, I relied mostly on my own recollections of home discussions, all based on Taft Republican talking points–which the Professor tore apart, rightfully so.
Delving deeper into all these issue over the years have brought me to where I am now and when debating issues with conservative friends or acquaintances whom know nothing of research methodology or historiogrphy, much less open a scholarly book, since the issues such as Citizens United are so incredibly transformative, I no longer am diplomatic. I must point out, that opinions don’t have to be valued equally. Another fellow, a friend from years ago, now refuss to answer my emails. We hung out briefly then I went to college, he became one of the many junkies in my home town, finally getting clean and becoming a fireman in NYC. Retired with all the union benifits, etc, but hates Obama, supports the crack down on voter fraud, and won’t accept any citing of sources such as Brennan Institute of Law denying voter fraud is a problem or that there is a GOP war on women.
This is a reaction I get all the time from people who I know have never involved themselves in study of these or related issues. It is precisely this type of mental operation that the book, Idiot America decribes.
PAC may defeat Obama and give us leadership by what I consider the scariest, most anti-democratic, theocratic, elitist cabal of facists–using Mussolini’s definition of a union of gov’t with corporatism, and throw in the theocracy as no Republican can win on the national level w/o the evagelicals, IMO, supported by past data.
And I know, or believe you’re not crazy about Obama either, but as I’ve said before, my first goal is to defeat the right wing. And judging from my lurking and rare exchanges on the local blogs of these people, they are the true bloviaters, full of invective, empty of solutions.
Negative campaigning begins at home. Signs that Jeff mentioned the other day are popping up. I refer to the anti-Nate Beason signs that ask if two terms aren’t enough. Since the signs that I have spotted are illegal, i.e., on public property (a cemetery is the newest one), obviously we need Nate again to back up those who are charged with enforcing election laws. We aren’t immune to petty, out-of-touch politics.