The Undermining of Democracy

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For several months now, I have wanted to write about Citizens United as well as the unfair playing field in political campaigns but there were too many things going on in Lake Worth...crime--Snowbirds, affordable housing, John Prince Park, etc. along with a handful of people wanting to quash and squash any opinion differing from their own.

Money tends to rule and is the root of all evil. If you only have a limited amount, you certainly don't have the same degree of power or what it takes to "bring it home."  The poor and some of the middle-class, in many ways, are getting marginalized by those in power. To stay in power, you have to raise a lot of money. It has become the survival of the fittess with the monied candidates insulating themselves from any opposition and using Saul Alinsky tactics to tear them apart.

The Citizens United ruling removed the previous ban on corporations and organizations using their treasury funds for direct advocacy. These groups are now allowed to endorse or could call people to vote for or against specific candidates, actions that were previously prohibited. Corporations now are "people."

This new law is BAD. It just breeds corruption. It opened up the floodgates of limitless contributions to both Republicans and Democrats. I include Democrats as they are in total denial that they have any wealthy contributors or receive money from super PACS and have waged war against the one percent. They keep bringing up the Koch brothers but fail to mention George Soros.  Everyone should have an even playing field--the same amount of money and may the best guy win. Andy Procyk, candidate for mayor here in Lake Worth at one time, believed that too.  Someone just said it recently in a blog comment--Democracy is undermined.

Liberal judges changed the tide with Citizens United. Unions and corporations now have the First Amendment right to spend as much money as they want on advertising and other political spending to get candidates elected. They can lie through their teeth and if you hear a lie often enough, it gets some credibility. Most people have no clue as to what is going on.  The Supreme Court reinterpreted the law about how money from corporations and unions could be spent on campaigns. Super PACs and other outside groups made possible by the court's decision spent nearly $1 billion on advertising in federal races.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Traveling around the state, League of Women Voters of Florida, (a group that vowed  never to return to Lake Worth for our debates at the LW Playhouse due to corruption of the process) President Deirdre Macnab said that people frequently ask her how they can counteract the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, which dismantled some federal campaign finance rules and paved the way for greater campaign spending. Faith in government and political campaigns is at a low point, Macnab said. “People are very troubled by the influence of big money in government and the Legislature passing quantum leap higher contribution limits is, unfortunately, a devastating confirmation that Florida is a pay-to-play state,” she said. Actually, the liberal Supreme Court gave the State the nod.

President Barack Obama stated that the decision "gives the special interests and their lobbyists even more power in Washington — while undermining the influence of average Americans who make small contributions to support their preferred candidates." Obama later elaborated in his weekly radio address saying, "this ruling strikes at our democracy itself" and "I can't think of anything more devastating to the public interest." (Wikipedia) Why then didn't he tell Priorities USA Action PAC that spent $75 million on his election to go fly a kite?

On a local level, we have always had to deal with the influence of developer/corporate money as well as unions and the other side that is well heeled.  Major political parties have infiltrated our local politics as well, grooming some for bigger and greater things down the road. The guy who can get his word out has the better chance of winning.  Recognition is everything and reaching the voters is a requisite.  It all takes money. Now the Democratic Party funneled money into non-partisan races in Wellington, not to mention Jeff Clemens PAC that gave donations to all three "visionaries" on our commission in Lake Worth.  Even Mark Foley involved himself. One elected official even compromised himself by accepting campaign contributions from a convicted felon.

Locally, you can give up to $1,000 to the candidate of your choice which is double the previous amount. In our poor city, not too many people can pay for influence and help get their candidate elected. Hell, citizens have to fight corruption and pay legal expenses out of their pocket just to honor an election because corrupt politicians say "screw you." One side of politics here in Lake Worth (known as the side with the money) has unmercifully smeared the opposition to a point of near impotence through personal attacks, lies, getting away with illegal banners and playing the blame game. They have unmercifully and unfairly smeared the opposition and put them in an undesirable category, scrutinizing every little thing, playing"'gotcha-ya." Taking quips of statements out of context has become a normal tactic.

Hypocrisy rules. The sleeping majority had better awaken before it's all too late. Personally, I think it is too late, not only locally but nationally, and it will take a humongous effort or perhaps an epiphany to turn the tide.