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writing for godot

Buying U.S. Elections

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Written by David Starr   
Saturday, 28 June 2014 05:22
More than ever, money has become the dominant factor in U.S. elections; rather than a sincere debate on the issues.

Both the Republican and Democratic parties are guilty of unregulated campaign spending. There are Democrats, however, who have strongly opposed Citizens United, where corporations are "persons who" can throw billions of dollars into the political hat. But it's the GOP that has fully embraced the Citizens United court decision, donating heavily to ads and campaigns for their political pawns. For them, anything goes, monetarily-speaking.

Republican super PACs spent an estimated $1 billion on the 2012 presidential election and to influence the outcomes of U.S. Congressional campaigns. Specifically, American Crossroads and its affiliate Crossroads GPS-spawns of Karl Rove-allegedly spent around $300 million.

The two groups combined together to spend $10 million on an advertising campaign, targeting Democrats who don't have a solid position in representing their respective states.

The Koch brothers have surged to the top of becoming one of the biggest contributors to the GOP. In 2012, they allegedly spent $4 million for the GOP on ads and campaigns. In a video about the Koch brothers, Robert Reich lists the entities and consequences of Koch objectives: having front groups, using ad campaigns, using think tanks, attempting voter suppression, bust unions and end campaign finance limits.

Mike Allen and Jim Vandehai, in their article for Politico, got it right when they wrote, "Republican financial plans are unlike anything seen before in American politics." The Kochs, e.g., revel in unregulated campaign spending, not caring or considering that U.S. elections are being auctioned off to the highest bidder in the process. They have a network of political "non-profit" (for-profit) groups which include Americans for Prosperity and Freedom Partners. But due to the political beating the Kochs are getting from critics, other conservatives have gone into hiding, donating to the GOP anonymously, according to a piece written by Matea Gold. Tax exempt groups have set up fronts such as "social welfare" organizations (but conservatives are against welfare) and business lobbies. This allows them to avoid disclosing their donors to the Federal Elections Commission (FCC).

Ana Marie Cox expressed the bottom line when she wrote in her column that "...the congressional agendas of both Democrats and Republicans are often shaped by business, not citizens." Profiteers are ruining the electoral system. Instead of "one man, one vote," it's many dollars, few voters.

Considering the amount of money GOP donors are dumping into airing ads and funding campaigns, and for a potentially dangerous agenda, this is a matter of quantity, not quality.

But the struggle against this buy out the vote larceny continues.
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