The Atlantic article, “How American Politics went Insane,” by Jonathan Rauch, appears to be an elitists fumbling attempt to excuse the leadership that caused the malady in American politics today. The BREXIT highlights how the British political establishment didn’t have a clue that “peasants” were pissed with the European Union (EU). There is little understanding that an outsider is a catalyst of change – one who connects with the “peasants” who are being compromised. An inside reformer has no chance of being accepted because the “peasants” will not connect, because they do not trust an insider. The establishment labels an insider who proposes change a heretic. In my novel, “Write in Ballot,” the hero of the story was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, with a political platform of limiting voters in his district with political donations to their Congress candidates to $5.00 per year, and no money from any other sources.
Our biggest ill is that Corporate America is not a person in any sense of the word. A business enterprise should not be engaged in political activities as their charter is to make money for the stockholders who are real people. Enterprise for profit and special interest groups should stay out of politics and let the citizens who are real people make his or her own vote for their own conscious. Our legislators are caught in a trap of needing money and are an easy target for corporation and others to purchase their support. What has happened is we, the “peasants” have no say and we are pissed.
Both Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have had lots of free press from the media recently. Most of the media pundits, columnists and analysts have, because of their negative reports, angered the “peasants” who showed huge support for Trump and Sanders. The political elitists in the establishment have brain-washed the media and, as a resort, have now united the “peasants” who want and need a change. A key issue for change is falsely labeled as racist, as the residents of the community do not appreciate the globalization that spawns invasion of newcomers who may have illegally entered the country or are refugees who bring their culture and do not make any effort to assimilate into the culture of their adopted country. In sharp contrast, our Nation’s founding fathers did not choose to be refugees, but stood their ground and founded our great nation.
The “peasants” are pissed because of corporate donations in the millions of dollars went to public officials. Even worse, Dark Money from non-profit advocacy groups is not subject to campaign finance disclosure. Our country is ruled by puppeteers who pull the strings with campaign money. The key to fair politics is to establish an “Iron Fist” policy backed by laws so that no candidate for public office as a U.S. Senator, Representative or other elected official can receive more than $5.00 per year from a constituent in his or her voting district and not a cent from any other donor. The “peasants” need to boycott every candidate who accepts any contribution in excess of $5.00 a year from voters in their district.
The first objection in this approach to fair politics is that it violates Free Speech. How can a “non-person” corporation or a not-for-profit advocacy group be a living person? Free Speech belongs to the voter, who is a real, living person who must be protected from corrupt politics driven by campaign financing that buys our elected officials. Free Speech would not be compromised, as both Corporations and public interest advocacy groups can hold hearings, conventions, publish articles, and tell the media their point-of-view as long as it presents factual truth. The issue is, a $5.00 annual campaign donation by a voter, puts every voter on equal footing. When John Roberts, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that campaign donations were a form of Free Speech – to me, this was logic that only an idiot would use. Now with John Roberts ruling, Free Speech goes to the highest bidder. This ruling bypassed the “peasants” right to Free Speech because Congressman listen only to Big Money. It is not a pipe dream to take money out of politics – the “peasants” need to individually write or email their Congressman on every issue and do not vote to reelect those who have been bought. It is the “peasants” who need to speak their opinions and vote accordingly.
It is Big Campaign Money to make a bought-Congress establishment. Donald Trump, the presumptive candidate to the White House gained massive support from the “peasants” who are fed up with the Democrats and Republican National Committee and their cohorts who have sold our country to the lobbyists with fat purses. Without change, there will always be ways to collect money from power, and to steal our government. Governance will always be vulnerable to people in the establishment who will use devious means to buy control. There is much talk about ex-President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, the presumptive Democratic nominee for President who have a multi-million not-for-profit foundation, which is considered to be a derivative form of a finance system to channel foreign money from other governments into our political process.
The concept for taking money out of politics is fundamental to saving our democracy. As with the revolt in England to the BREXIT, the same dissident faction exists in America. The elitists in the Establishment do not have a clue that the “peasants” are pissed. Our country will become great again when the money is taken out of politics. Ridding our political campaigns of money is no idle dream. One citizen, one vote should be the rule with equality of political donations limited to $5.00 per year by registered voters in the candidate’s district. No money from any other source to politicians should be the battle cry of the “peasants.”