On April 24th, 60 Minutes aired a segment on fundraising by members of congress. It certainly is in line with concerns from members on this forum on the role in money in politics:
Worth viewing. No wonder voters are so frustrated with our government.
March 30th, 2012 NPR’s “This American Life” also did a great job covering this story in an episode called “Take The Money and Run for Office”.
I had to dig around on Google because you reminded me I had listened to it a few years ago, but the link is below for anyone interested.
http://m.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/461/take-the-money-and-run-for-office
[QUOTE=water;183896]On April 24th, 60 Minutes aired a segment on fundraising by members of congress. It certainly is in line with concerns from members on this forum on the role in money in politics:
Worth viewing. No wonder voters are so frustrated with our government.[/QUOTE]
I’m shocked and surprised. Is THAT how things works in the world’s 2nd biggest democracy??
OK, that was my kind of sarcasm.
No, I’m not really surprised, since the workings of US Senate and Congress and the fact that elections are all a matter of money, is well documented and known to “all”.
The existence of Super PACs are also well know, if not well understood, outside the US.
I bit surprising maybe that 60 minutes managed to document the existence of these “Call centers” and the regimented way fund raising is run by the two parties.
No wonder they don’t have time to pass any laws to protect American Mariners, or do any real work.
Sorry to say, but from the outside it is hard to see how this system can last. When are US voters going to raise up and say; “enough is enough. Now, do your job an stop pestering us for more money to support you”. But then, that would probably be Un-American?.
Besides, nobody wants to admit they have been duped (or dear I say, “brainwashed”?)for all these years.
[QUOTE=ombugge;183903]
Sorry to say, but from the outside it is hard to see how this system can last. When are US voters going to raise up and say; “enough is enough. Now, do your job an stop pestering us for more money to support you”. But then, that would probably be Un-American?.
Besides, nobody wants to admit they have been duped (or dear I say, “brainwashed”?)for all these years.[/QUOTE]
That is a big reason why an anti-establishment candidate like Trump is doing so well. Americans are fed up with a do-nothing congress. Too bad he is such a jerk. The parallels to his actions and the rise of Hitler are just too close. It will be interesting to see what the Republican Party will look like in a couple of years, if it survives.
I think everyone knows the system is fucked. Knowing it is and actually doing something about it are two different things. The problem is that in order to fix it you have to give up your personal benefits provided by the broken system…nobody wants to do that.
[QUOTE=z-drive;183908]I think everyone knows the system is fucked. Knowing it is and actually doing something about it are two different things. The problem is that in order to fix it you have to give up your personal benefits provided by the broken system…nobody wants to do that.[/QUOTE]
If I could think of a single personal benefit I have accrued due to lobbyists bribing and buying politicians I might agree.
I would consider it a personal benefit if most of Congress and the residents of K Street were behind bars. Prohibiting anyone who can’t vote for a politician from giving a single dollar would be a personal benefit for nearly every American citizen.
[QUOTE=Steamer;183912]
Prohibiting anyone who can’t vote for a politician from giving a single dollar would be a personal benefit for nearly every American citizen.[/QUOTE]
That would be a step in the right direction, but most of us could not keep up with the Koch brothers.
perhaps I meant the “perceived” benefits… Yeah that congressman, he’s for me. Because he says he is.
[QUOTE=water;183913]That would be a step in the right direction, but most of us could not keep up with the Koch brothers.[/QUOTE]
Don’t need to keep up … limit any contribution to only about $500 and only from an individual who is legally permitted to cast a single vote for the recipient of the contribution.
Why should someone like Koch be able to contribute to any politician they cannot vote for except to buy favors or put the politician in debt to them. That should be a felony offense on the part of the giver and the taker.
Corporations can’t vote, parties can’t vote, PAC’s cant vote … cut all of them out of the process before they give this nation the coup de grâce.
[QUOTE=Steamer;183916]Don’t need to keep up … limit any contribution to only about $500 and only from an individual who is legally permitted to cast a single vote for the recipient of the contribution.
Why should someone like Koch be able to contribute to any politician they cannot vote for except to buy favors or put the politician in debt to them. That should be a felony offense on the part of the giver and the taker.
Corporations can’t vote, parties can’t vote, PAC’s cant vote … cut all of them out of the process before they give this nation the coup de grâce.[/QUOTE]
Well thought out. Thanks for expanding.