Moyers writes: "All that spending by the parties, corporations, super PACs and other outside groups will push political ad spending up this year by half a billion dollars."

Portrait, Bill Moyers. (photo: Robin Holland)

More Money, Less Democracy

By Bill Moyers, Moyers & Company

24 September 12

n this essay, Bill examines how the Citizens United decision has candidates campaigning for cash more than votes, and how that money - pouring into TV ads and high-paid political consultants - is creating "a racket, plain and simple."

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+45 # ghostperson 2012-09-24 14:16

Just think of what all that campaign money would do if applied to concrete projects, job making, education or applied to actually figuring out a win-win way to bring health care availability and insurance out of the stratosphere. Always money to blow on hot air but never anything that elevates us.

+24 # giraffee2012 2012-09-24 15:27

ghostperson - I agree but do you think these money-bags care about anything/anybod y but their power/selves and getting more of it by buying our elections.

On the other hand, while we still have the vote - be sure to get out in November and drag all who can vote with you --- Vote Obama and straight DEM.

If DEM take over house - maybe (just maybe) we can pass some bills (other than abortion and what light bulb to buy)

+5 # Virginia 2012-09-24 18:17

If there is anything good about the spending is that it takes the elites' money out of their big investment banks (or off shore accounts) and buys media, who pay salaries and rents, buys office supplies, equipment, and pays licensing fees, engineers and repairmen, utilities - in summary, it spreads the money around moving the dollar on the average about 20x. But with that said, that only occurs if the government does its job and keeps the big media conglomerates from shipping the bulk of the $$$ off shore.

+17 # Glen 2012-09-24 15:22

The United States is now experiencing the flip side of capitalism as well as democracy. It isn't pretty, just as some comedy is not pretty, according to Steve Martin. It is all money and who has sold their soul for it.

This so-called campaign has involved millions of dollars that has benefited everybody but citizens.

+7 # doneasley 2012-09-24 18:11

Quoting Glen:

... It is all money and who has sold their soul for it. This so-called campaign has involved millions of dollars that has benefited everybody but citizens.

And to think, Glen, we send American monitors to other countries to make sure elections are fair. It's not only the money that we'll see in the next few weeks blanket our airwaves with dishonest crap, but the GOP continues to use elected officials to tilt elections in their favor. Most of us are aware of the voter suppression that's going in GOP-controlled states via a sudden demand for voter ID's. But they're also cutting back on early voting and weekend voting - a time when most working people can get out to the polls. In FL, the League of Women Voters won't register people because Gov Scott says they can be fined if they don't have those registrations turned in within 48 hours. Suppression could turn around the vote in entire states, which is what GOP operatives are trying to accomplish. PA is a good example, where as many as 1 MILLION voters can be affected. And watch election day for reports of voter intimidation, machine "errors", long lines because there aren't enough voting booths, etc, etc.

And they're doing all of this right in front of our noses. WHAT A JOKE!

+4 # Glen 2012-09-25 06:02

Beginning with Reagan the government and those truly in charge, began the method of increasing corruption that became gradually more obvious, and without a care that citizens could recognize the issues facing them. Along came George W. and the fraud and corruption were straight up for all to see and it continues. These folks do not care - at all. It is a shameful game that will never include citizens again. Citizens are simply a nuisance.

On the other hand many citizens also do not care and are capable of some very low level thinking, rendering them susceptible to propaganda. I continue to receive amazing emails from republican acquaintances that proves it.

I am a total independent, loyal to no party. And - am ashamed of what the U.S. government is.

0 # X Dane 2012-09-26 19:36

Glen

I agree with your observation about a lot of our citizens. Way too many people say that they are not interested in politics. They do not care to be informed about issues and candidates, and they do nothing find out.

I try to point out that whether or not they are interested, politics will certainly affect their life, so it is important to inform oneself.

The way congress has been behaving, especially the last 4 years, has turned off a great many people people, to the point that they will not listen to anybody and have no respect for anyone in government.

That will certainly make it a lot more difficult to improve matters in the country.

+5 # cordleycoit 2012-09-24 17:34

The money is the only thing the election is about shovel our dollars into the maw of Main stream Media. It's pay off time for Mad Ave. Makes the war look almost honest. No one audits elections

+2 # Regina 2012-09-25 11:30

The inmates have taken over the ward -- the Republican Party. If not restrained, they will take over the entire asylum -- the U.S. government. We the people must restrain them en masse -- vote solid Democratic. We will not restore sanity by voting for stray "third" parties -- only a solid majority against these whackos can possibly restore sanity. It won't be perfection, it never is, but we have to salvage all we can from the morass we're in now.

0 # Corvette-Bob 2012-09-25 14:03

The big maoney is not only control the election and the decisions of the government but controls the news and what is being told to the public. People's opinions are be formulated by the news. Think R. Mardock and Fox News.

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