Disappearing democracy

By Alan Farago

From Eye on Miami blog

MIAMI – Maybe even Republicans will get the point (like Senator John McCain does): the Citizens United decision by the Roberts Supreme Court requires a massive overhaul of campaign finance law by Congress because corporations are not people.

Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson who gave $20 million to that idiot Newt Gingrich, keeping alive the primary run of a candidate who never would have passed first base otherwise, is giving $10 million to the 2012 election efforts of the Koch brothers, the Washington Post reports.

The Koch brothers plan to spend about $400 million on the election, but I am guessing that the Republican super PAC money will be closer to $1 billion. I am also guessing the Democrats will raise, for super PAC’s, less than $100 million. Maybe much less.

According to the Huffington Post, Adelson has also committeed at least $10 million to the Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies, a pro-Republican group advised by Karl Rove, and $5 million each to two groups backing GOP House candidates.

How does that make me feel when candidates come calling, for $100 or $200 or $2500 contributions? Or $20,000 contributions to have a photo taken with the president? Do you think my voice carries as far as Sheldon Adelson or the Koch brothers or any of the other billionaires who are turning the United States into an American version of an oligarchy?

One appropriate response is for voters to refuse to listen to any television advertisements at all and trash all the mailers before opening them. Turn off your TV, become informed on candidate positions through responsible journalism, and do vote!

For the past 20 years Alan Farago has written, worked and volunteered to advance civic engagement and issues related to the environment and politics. He publishes the Eye on Miami blog and writes under the name, Gimleteye.