AOC: Easy to be a bad guy in D.C.

[Stanyon]

So again, do you think corporations have more sway than the electorate in D.C.? I do. And I don't think it's a conspiracy. I think it's all legal, based on a set of laws that empower corporations.

To a degree yes they do have some influence but more money does not always mean a win for their chosen candidate nor does it mean legislation put forward will be approved.

2016 Election campaign:

Hillary ~$1.14 billion

Trump ~$712 million including $56 million of his own money
source: How mega-donors helped raise $1 billion for Hillary Clinton - The Washington Post

 

[BSM1]

This three minute video is nicely done:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez delivers ferocious speech dissecting US political corruption

Is anyone here still thinking that PACs and superPACs are a good idea? Or even a neutral idea?

This is all a smoke screen that is either accidental or diabolically planned. Here's what you should really be worried about.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal Aims to Eliminate Air Travel

 

[Nakosis]

can we drop partisanship for just a minute?

 

[Father Heathen]

PACs are a good idea.
To prevent them would be to limit the right to free association for political speech.
Would you give government the power to prevent people from associating as a
group to exercise influence with government & the public? That cure would be
worse than the disease.

If this is true, then it implies that only the wealthy have a right to speech and association, which would be a far more serious problem. How do you purpose we fix it?

 

[Revoltingest]

If this is true, then it implies that only the wealthy have a right to speech and association, which would be a far more serious problem. How do you purpose we fix it?

Why can't people of lesser means contribute to PACs?
It appears that they do.
Political action committee - Wikipedia

 

[pearl]

t
Is anyone here still thinking that PACs and superPACs are a good idea? Or even a neutral idea?

Never did. This is the reason that Citizens United must be overturned and the McCain-Feingold tax reform reinstated. But I doubt that the present Court is going to move in that direction.

 

[esmith]

Is it your sense that the peoples' will is being well represented in D.C.?

Everything I've read indicates that big corporations get their way in D.C. far more frequently than the people do.

That is why some of us belong to organizations that "lobby" on our behalf since multiple voices speak louder than one. And this is at the city, county, state, and federal level.

 

[Nakosis]

If they have a record in politics, then one
can trust them to do as they've done before.

I wonder though, how many voters actually look up that record. I suspect more don't than do. Probably why politicians can get away with a lot of the crap they do.

AOC for example though, not much of a voting record.

 

[Revoltingest]

I wonder though, how many voters actually look up that record. I suspect more don't than do. Probably why politicians can get away with a lot of the crap they do.

AOC for example though, not much of a voting record.

She's inspiring & given to unreasonable promises.
She'll get many votes.

 

[fantome profane]

Donations over a limit, (say $500) should not be anonymous. If you have no ulterior motive other than to support 'your side' and you don't expect favours in return then why shouldn't you be named.

The US system is horribly corrupt and the UK is heading the same way.

Jane Meyer sets it all out in her book Dark Money - a must read for anyone worried about democracy.

Just want to second that book recommendation.

Anyone who has not read this book really should.
https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Money-H...dark+money&dpPl=1&dpID=61rbwjq32nL&ref=plSrch

*Fixed your post
Any proof to support your roundabout guesstimation?
(I voted for Gary Johnson in 2016)

Mayer or Meyer? not turning up anything with that title Dark Money by Meyer also was there a reason you left out the rest of the title of Jane Mayers Book?
Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right: Jane Mayer: 9780307947901: Amazon.com: Books

Perhaps there is another conspiracy theory book that implicates George Soros in something.




Would this not apply to both parties?

Have you read the book?

 

[Mister Emu]

Donations over a limit, (say $500) should not be anonymous. If you have no ulterior motive other than to support 'your side' and you don't expect favours in return then why shouldn't you be named.

The US system is horribly corrupt and the UK is heading the same way.

Jane Meyer sets it all out in her book Dark Money - a must read for anyone worried about democracy.

There is absolutely no reason you should force disclosure of political activities and open people to reprisal for unpopular politics.

Might as well put a list out of everyone that votes and who they voted for.

 

[Altfish]

There is absolutely no reason you should force disclosure of political activities and open people to reprisal for unpopular politics.

Might as well put a list out of everyone that votes and who they voted for.

And therein lies corruption. You end up with the Mercers and Kochs running your country

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

There is absolutely no reason you should force disclosure of political activities and open people to reprisal for unpopular politics.

Might as well put a list out of everyone that votes and who they voted for.

We have public disclosure here (and at a threshold well below $500). Do you think there are a rash of reprisals against donors to Canadian politicians?

 

[Revoltingest]

There is absolutely no reason you should force disclosure of political activities and open people to reprisal for unpopular politics.

Might as well put a list out of everyone that votes and who they voted for.

Aye, people get nasty over politics.
Just look at Democrats threatening a Starbucks boycott just
because Schultz wants to run for Prez. It's yet another way
for them to stack the deck in favor of their anointed candidate.
Threaten his investment in order to keep him out of the race.
Nasty business that.

 

[Mister Emu]

We have public disclosure here (and at a threshold well below $500). Do you think there are a rash of reprisals against donors to Canadian politicians?

Well Canucks do have a reputation for greater civility than many areas of America. Meanwhile, in America, in the near past we've seen forced resignations for political views and/or donations of individuals in issues of controversy.

If people are to be politically free, they must be able to maintain political privacy.

 

[Revoltingest]

Well Canucks do have a reputation for greater civility than many areas of America. Meanwhile, in America, in the near past we've seen forced resignations for political views and/or donations of individuals in issues of controversy.

If people are to be politically free, they must be able to maintain political privacy.

I think @Wirey has utterly destroyed their reputation on RF.

 

[fantome profane]

Aye, people get nasty over politics.
Just look at Democrats threatening a Starbucks boycott just
because Schultz wants to run for Prez. It's yet another way
for them to stack the deck in favor of their anointed candidate.
Threaten his investment in order to keep him out of the race.
Nasty business that.

Not buying a coffee is what you consider “nasty”. I wish I lived in your world.

 

[Revoltingest]

Not buying a coffee is what you consider “nasty”. I wish I lived in your world.

A boycott is more than "a coffee".
If they're effective, then it could mean cutting staff hours, reduced revenue, & falling stock value.
But then, it is other people's money & livelihood....not some which would matter in your world.

 

[fantome profane]

A boycott is more than "a coffee".
If they're effective, then it could mean cutting staff hours, reduced revenue, & falling stock value.
But then, it is other people's money & livelihood....not some which would matter in your world.

I am confused. Whose money are you talking about?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Just make campaigns publicly funded and give each nominee the same amount of money, media exposure and debate time. Fixed.