Showing posts with label Supreme court Citizens United decision. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Supreme court Citizens United decision. Show all posts

Thursday, October 27, 2011

If the 1% buy elections, the 99% must cancel that with their votes

The Center for Media and Democracy’sPR Watch says, “…the top one percent are playing an increasingly outsized role in American elections.”  My simple answer to that is to offset this influence with the 99 percent that can out contribute and vote out the congressional culprits that are taking it under the table. 

Yes, that’s exactly what it is when you buy votes, no matter how the contribution was made.  We’re all sick and tired of the stock answer from aides—almost never from the elected official—that the donation of money to his or her campaign has nothing to do with the Senator’s or Representative’s votes.  BS!

This becomes even more bizarre when you consider many of these politicians and their aides, when leaving office, slip right into high-paying lobbyist positions in Washington, as the following video illustrates.



This increased influence was made possible by the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, and is one of the primary factors fueling the Occupy movement nationwide.  PR Watch accuses a CEO of the Variety Wholesalers dimestore discount chain headquartered in North Carolina of buying that state.  “The Republican agenda in North Carolina is really Art Pope's agenda,” says Marc Farinella, a Democratic political consultant.

Thanks to the Citizens United decision, Super PACs can now raise unlimited funds from corporations, unions and individuals, using this huge storehouse of cash against federal candidates.  PR Watch says this decision proves that “money is speech” and that in 2012 money will overwhelmingly come from the 1 percent.  Unless…the 99 percent kicked in say a $5 donation, $1 for low income households, for their progressive candidate of choice.  Than go out and vote.

This has become necessary because in 90 percent of political races, the one who raises the most money wins.  That’s why the folks like those in the Occupy movement, plus all good progressives out there, must take a direct approach to the 2012 elections and support the left with both money and votes.  And if you need good reason to get on the progressive band wagon, let me tell you more about that 1 percent.

The figure includes 1.4 million households that earn nearly 17 percent of U.S. income and pay approximately 37 percent of its income tax.  Their collective adjusted gross income is $1.3 trillion and the average income is $960,000.  This is the group whose incomes have soared while the middle-class deteriorates.  And the higher up in the income categories you look, the higher the gains.  It is one thing if at least we are all moving in a positive direction, but this is clearly class favoritism.

It is time to re-think the philosophy of share-the-wealth, or those without will find another way to take it back.

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