The Problem of Money
in Politics
"Some of the best political commentary on the Internet." --Jack Stewart, activist
by Eric Armstrong
Money, of course, buys advertising. And advertising buys votes. To get votes, you have to be perceived as a "winner", to keep people from voting for someone else they may like just a little better. So politicians have to spend like crazy to create and maintain that perception.
Note: Rates go way up during an election year, which makes it all the more expensive--despite the fact that corporations license the airwaves, virtually for free, on the theory that they are "serving the public interest".
Of course, all of the advertising and political sound bites amount to so many "puff pieces". It's all about sounding good. Like Arnold Schwarznegger in the California governor's recall election, it's all about "being for the little guy" and "against big government", and never, ever saying anything substantive on the issues--because the minute you open your mouth, 50% of the people will disagree with you. If you can keep it shut and look good, you win.
But the fact that money turns political campaigns into a game of shadows, charades, and posturing is the minor side of the issue. The real problem with money in the political system is that corporations have acquired the right to be considered "individuals" under the law, which somehow gives them the "right of free speech". And they have used that privilege to dominate the election process.
The Results
There are currently some 10,000 lobbyists in Washington. They write virtually all of the legislation that Congress votes on. Here are just a few of the results:
- Credit card companies have the right to charge 20% interest, raising
it up to 35-45% (counting late fees and interest), and to do so retroactively,
on money already owed. In times past, that was called usury.
It was a hanging offense. But now it's legal.
- Since so many American were declaring bankruptcy to avoid such charges
(50 percent of whom were forced there by medical emergencies), credit
card companies got the bankruptcy laws changed so their fees are immune
to bankruptcy proceedings.
- You wanted an electric car. You really did. Not only was it cheaper
to run, there was virutally no maintenance. But the automakers
killed that one deader than dead--because how much profit is there in
an automobile that needs no maintenance?
- Instead of raising oil prices slowly and incrementally, so that we
would gradually become more energy-efficient--and then use that money
to fund alternative energy sources, the oil companies worked to make
sure we would remain dependent on oil--ideally until every last drop
of it was exhausted, global warming be damned. Humanity may suffer but,
hey, look at the bright side: Profits are up!
- Like tobacco companies, the oil companies funded fake institutes to
confuse the public with scientific-sounding studies that were totally
false, and they did so under the law as a result of legislative action.
- Drug companies managed to pass a bill that took away the government's
right to negotiate prices, while all the while gouging out enormous
sums for "expensive research" that is focused mostly on developing
"me too" drugs, rather than spending it on pioneering research.
And they devote their dollars to finding ways to control symptoms,
instead of curing the disease--or, horror of horrors, eliminating the
deadly toxins in the environment and the food supply that cause them.
- Giant agri-business concerns gained the right to genetically engineer
and sell "killer seeds" that not only won't reproduce, they
infect and destroy the capacity of self-reproducing crops, as well.
That way, successive generations will be dependent on those corporations
for every morsel of food they consume.
- The FDA has become a rubber stamp for drug companies. Meanwhile,
it attacks vitamin suppliers, while doing nothing to stem the tide of
partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, bovine growth
hormone, and genetically modified organisms that infest the American
food supply--all of which are illegal in countries that have
socialized medicine.
- The repeal of the act that prevented communications monopolies means
that five gigantic corporations now control virtually all of the media
outlets in the country. Those corporations either own or are owned by
the corporations whose lobbying efforts have given us the results above--so
their egregious flaws go virtually unreported.
- Meanwhile, what is arguably the worst-performing administration in American history has been given a virtual pass, because the major news organizations are owned by the very corporations that bought the administration's victory. The hawks should be screaming that Bush took his eye off the ball in Bora Bora. The doves should be screaming that Bush misled the American people, firing and discrediting anyone who disagreed with his trumped-up analysis. He was also dead wrong about how long it would take, how much it would cost, how many people would be needed on the ground, and how many would die. Even Republicans don't understand how the administration can promote tax giveaways to the rich while engaging in the largest deficit spending in history, coupled with unprecedented amounts of international borrowing. The choices are malicious intent or sheer incompetence. Either way, everyone should be screaming for impeachment. Instead, the silence is virtually deafening.
These problems all stem from the fact that corporate money controls the American political system. Corporations are interested in profit. There's nothing wrong with that, per se. But the goal of maximizing profit is frequently at odds with (if not entirely inconsistent with) humanity's best interests. Goverment needs to act as the brake and the steering wheel on that process so it stays under control. But that can't happen when corporations are running government to their liking.
The Process
Of course, most campaign contributions go to incumbents, who don't need it. They, in turn, gain stature by turning it over to the party, so it can be used to fund races that are in doubt. But when a race is doubt, you'll find the same corporations backing both sides.
With corporations spending billions in return for earmarked funds and legislative payoffs that put billions back in their pockets, they can afford to back many a candidate who is favorable to their positions. That's what they're doing now. In other words, corporate financing is the major reason that so much money is spent on campaigns.
Since money determines the outcome, both parties have to pander to the providers. That's why Democratic legislatures have been just as responsible for corporate welfare packages as Republican legislatures (up until the 2000-2008 Republican legislature, which has shattered all existing records).
Funding one side of the election raises the stakes for the other side. So they have to seek equal funding. It's astonishing, but many corporations fund both sides of any race that's in doubt. On the one hand, they want a friend, whoever wins. On the other, anyone they don't fund is bound to lose. So all the candidates wind up feeding at the same trough. In the end, it doesn't really matter which candidate wins--corporate doners control the game. With one candidate, they may make progress more slowly, but they are always moving in the direction they choose.
Conclusion
You can only vote for one candidate. But you can spend money on as many as you want. Corporations have deep pockets, and they are free to do just that. They are vastly outspending the American populace, and the populace is being harmed as a result. That is the singlular tragedy of American politics: When money controls the process, the winner is always money.
For more information:
- Money
Wins Big in 2000 Elections shows money's total domination of the
election process.
- The Design of an Advisory System explains the remedy.