Always, always always, follow the money.
Always, always always, follow the money. People have been telling me for years about an all powerful group of men called the Illuminati that secretly run the world regardless of politics. And while there is some argument to be made for money pulling political strings, I've never believer some secret cabal of men were out there, heads of state merely being their puppets.
But then we have the Kochs. And while Obama does not bow to them, the GOP has gladly grabbed ankle whenever the Kochs were around. And sometimes when they weren't. GOP presidential hopefuls have begged the Kochs for their endorsement as though they were being a referral for a highly sought after position.
And sadly, it's Trump who has told the Kochs to fuck off. A billionaire in his own right, it was Trump who said he would not grab ankle for anyone but himself (and whatever group he's currently pandering to, be they the NRA, christian right or others).
Even Clinton has pandered to the billionaires on Wall Street and while they might not be the Kochs, themselves, they still belong to the same stratosphere of political financiers.
But if, as the SCotUS decided, money equals free speech, then that speech should be public and accountable. There should be no dark money in politics. Each dollar spent in secret is another dollar spent in an arsenal 97% of us just can't compete with. Corporations can spend billions to move their message across while you and I are left shouting at the hurricane that our voices should not be drowned out.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/books/review/dark-money-by-jane-mayer.html?_r=0&referer=http://plus.url.google.com/url?q=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/books/review/dark-money-by-jane-mayer.html?_r%3D0&rct=j&ust=1453917888424000&usg=AFQjCNH1fyVEnHmD6diHKTZZVs5Dq8HJ2g
But then we have the Kochs. And while Obama does not bow to them, the GOP has gladly grabbed ankle whenever the Kochs were around. And sometimes when they weren't. GOP presidential hopefuls have begged the Kochs for their endorsement as though they were being a referral for a highly sought after position.
And sadly, it's Trump who has told the Kochs to fuck off. A billionaire in his own right, it was Trump who said he would not grab ankle for anyone but himself (and whatever group he's currently pandering to, be they the NRA, christian right or others).
Even Clinton has pandered to the billionaires on Wall Street and while they might not be the Kochs, themselves, they still belong to the same stratosphere of political financiers.
But if, as the SCotUS decided, money equals free speech, then that speech should be public and accountable. There should be no dark money in politics. Each dollar spent in secret is another dollar spent in an arsenal 97% of us just can't compete with. Corporations can spend billions to move their message across while you and I are left shouting at the hurricane that our voices should not be drowned out.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/books/review/dark-money-by-jane-mayer.html?_r=0&referer=http://plus.url.google.com/url?q=http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/24/books/review/dark-money-by-jane-mayer.html?_r%3D0&rct=j&ust=1453917888424000&usg=AFQjCNH1fyVEnHmD6diHKTZZVs5Dq8HJ2g
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