A Plan for Democracy Restoration Gene Messick
I'm old enough to live on Social Security, and, for most of my adult life, I've heard about Campaign Finance Reform.
It's a total fraud. First-time Candidates promise they'll do it. Once elected, they forget all about it. "It's not practical," they say. "It's too complicated. We've got more important things to worry about!" Like a Bill to name a bridge after someone.
In North Carolina, we bear the stigma of having allowed corruption of campaign financing to take a giant leap forward by electing Jesse Helms to the US Senate, for 30 years.
Jesse's national contribution extractor, The Congressional Club, reached across state lines like never before to help elect CONservatives all across America. If you can't raise enough money in your state, go next door. Or go continental. During its existence, 1966 to 1973, the Club raised $100 million to elect CONservatives, during a time when $100 million was real money.
Candidates of both Parties have now adopted this strategy, nationwide. This distortion of democracy has grown to such gargantuan proportions, that big money powerhouses outweigh the influence of those of us who can vote.
But if public officials are supposed to represent the constituency who elect them, why are they forced to serve the desires of those who cannot vote for them? For any representative democracy to work, deciding the laws we live by must be done by those elected, not by those who paid to have them elected.
Maybe NC should take the lead in meaningful change, given that it allowed the seeds to be planted that gave this corruption of democracy a chance to grow out of control.
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Campaign Finance Reform is a fraud, because immediately it conjures up a set of rules which rivals IRS in complexity. Rules look like they work, but they're designed to create loopholes for clever lawyers and politicos to figure a way to slip through. But they look good for a politically naive American public. Plug one leak, and simultaneously drill two more holes. The money pot only grows bigger.
It's happened every time any attempt has been made. Works about one election cycle, then it's chopped and mangled, requiring another Campaign Finance Reform.
So why doesn't it ever reform anything? Because all those who make money off of gathering money don't want it to. Campaign Finance Reform is always designed to fail.
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What can be done?
Restore democracy in America. Jesse discovered how to corrupt our democracy with money. Time to return to basics.
One person, one vote. To protect America from foes, both foreign and domestic.
Why should an unregistered voter in Texas, Wyoming or New York be allowed to purchase votes in Carolina? And with Corporations daily becoming multi-nationals, who is really electing people to public office in America?
In a representative democracy, every elected official has a precise geographical boundary which decides who can vote to elect any Candidate. Boundaries are clearly established, regardless of occasional gerrymandering.
Money = voting.
Therefore, the only people allowed to vote with their money -- to make campaign contributions -- must be registered to vote within any given political boundary.
It's idiotically simple. And does not require a five pound rule book, dripping with loopholes, to describe it.
If you are not registered to vote, you cannot give any money to any Candidate.
Doesn't matter which Party you register for, or to which Candidates you give money. That's your free choice. Just so long as you're registered to vote in your Candidate's election.
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Corporations cannot vote. PACs cannot vote. Unions cannot vote. Political Parties cannot vote.
Defilers of our democracy live on Wall Street; on Oil Avenue; in Banker's Alley; on K Street and Greed Boulevard, where they plot with each other to overthrow American democracy.
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They are Unregistered Aliens. Therefore, NONE of these Alien influence buyers may contribute money to any Candidate, in any election anywhere in America.
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Obviously, the fat cats will scream: Political fundraisers. Lawyers. Lobbyists. TV networks. Power brokers.
Why? Because automatically, with one simple law, the unbelievably obscene flow of money they provide to buy Candidates, suddenly dries to a trickle.
For politicians, reduced cost means less time and money wasted raising campaign funds, and more time spent on the people's business of lawmaking. They might even find time to read laws before they vote to pass them! What a unique idea.
And you know what? More ordinary Americans -- those NOT blessed with personal wealth or rich friends -- will be able to run for public office.
Democracy restored. All with one simple law.
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© 2008-10 Gene Messick. Helping to return democracy to the people.
[ Originally published as [NCDP-on-Trial] 071, 19 July 2008.]
