The time has come... long, long overdue as it is... for Americans to accept that our electoral and legislative systems are corrupt. Americans like to click our jingoistic, judgmental little tongues at third world countries over their corrupt politics, but we are far less accustomed to applying those same standards to our own system of governance.
I crashed right into this wall of corruption when, way back in 1992, I was telling a group of Senate Banking Committee staffers that a pending piece of legislation that would repeal the Glass-Steagall Act was insane, and that if it passed, would result in a crisis far worse than the then still smoking S&L mess. A senior staffer cast a pitiful look at me and then proceeded to straighten me right out: "Y ou know, " she said, "Wall St and banks are contributing mightily to get Glass-Steagall repealed. Just who do you suggest who might contribute more to keep it?"
Translation: Money talks, good governance walks.
But there was once a glimmer of hope. I returned to DC a couple of years later to do a piece on Bill Clinton's pledge to reform campaign financing. He didn't. Here's why - a link to that tale.
Today both parties have their own Sugar Daddies: The Koch brothers for the rightwing of the GOP and George Soros for the Dems. But there's hundreds of wannabe sugar daddies out there vying for influence of both parties.
Which explains so many things that are otherwise inexplicable:
* Why Medicare is not allowed to negotiate drug prices when they purchase drugs from Big Pharma companies.
* Why, even after the water supply for half of an entire state was polluted by a chemical company, no genuinely strong regulatory changes will result for chemical production and storage industries.
* Why climate-related environmental disaster after disaster has not, and will not, result in any meaningful restrictions on fossil fuel use. And, why the Keystone pipeline will be approved, even though the stuff that will flow through it is the most polluting oil on the planet.
*Why federal expenditures on those who can't contribute large sums to politicians (the poor) are cut and cut, while taxes on those who can, and do, contribute large sums, are reduce and reduced again.
*Why school massacre after school massacre never results in even the most reasonable gun control/safety legislation. Because, when it comes to the choice between blood or money, politicians always - always - go for the money .
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
