Thursday, February 4, 2016

Why Super PACs, Donor Class Funding, and Speaking Fees Matter

by Wayne D. King

The debate between Bernie and Hillary over who is and is not a Progressive is a silly diversion for everyone. However, the issue of accepting funds from Super PACs and the Donor class is VERY important. Hillary has made the case that no one can point to an instance where it has changed her mind and that is precisely why this point is so important. The influence of big money on the political process is an insidious one when it comes to donations made to progressives. The money does not make the candidate advocates for the monied interest, it makes them complicit.

In the 8 years since the monied interests broke the economy not one CEO has gone to prison. Furthermore many of them were immediately placed into positions of authority to fix what they had just broken.

The Republicans help the monied interests because they are the lifeblood of the Republican party. Progressives who accept money from these folks do so because they have learned over the years that they can criticize them and still receive their money just as long as they don't step over the line and do more than talk about it. It is how the monied interests inoculate themselves against the possibility of success of these candidates. Just in case they win, the monied interests provide just enough support to keep them from turning their rhetoric into action.

I am a huge supporter of President Obama but there is a reason that in his eight years as President no CEO has gone to jail. This too is Hillary's problem. If she becomes President it will be up to us to force her to move from talk to action. If Bernie becomes President we can put our energy into supporting his sincere efforts.