Scott Walker just made history. He became the first governor in U.S. history to survive a recall attempt. What does Scott Walker have that no one before him had?
Endless charisma? He was just recently described at bagnewsnotes.com as "not a charismatic figure by a long shot." We can rule that out.
A sharp wit, perhaps? Most of us remember this event a few months back when Scott was fooled by a journalist into believing he was speaking to David Koch, conceding his subversive plans to bust Wisconsin's unions. Nope - moving on.
Maybe it's his cunning anti-democratic tactics? Politico, on day of the the recall election published "reports of a robo-call that says anyone who signed a petition to recall Gov. Scott Walker doesn’t have to vote in Tuesday’s election." We're getting warmer.
What could it be? What advantage does Scott Walker have? How is he the exception to what we previously knew of our democracy?
One word: Money.
Walker effectively outspent his challenger 10-1. Walker raised over $30 million for the recall campaign while Barrett only brought in under $4 million. That's right -- American "democracy" is a numbers game. No -- not of population; rather, of private interests whose contributions have now, more than ever, overwhelmed even the pretense of democracy.
Just how deeply does the private-interest corruption run in America's political environment?
According to the Center for Responsive Politics, 94% of winning candidates had more money than their opponents in 2008. It doesn't take a professional analyst to see the correlation. The electoral process in the United States has devolved into a series of auctions, masquerading as elections. Wisconsin's recall election serves as a cold reminder to working families: Our elected representatives no longer serve us in a government of, by, and for the people. Rather, elected officials are servants for their corporate overlords.
We're not helpless in this. We can fight back. We can ensure a greater American future that works for everyone. But it won't happen without everyone's involvement and support.
It starts with you. Join us today at voterocky.org and contribute so that Rocky can continue to fight for you.
Ray Matthews commented
2012-06-09 15:59:30 -0600
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Julieanna Thompson commented
2012-06-07 00:37:54 -0600
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dumping Citizens United -how? maybe Constitutional amendment or a general Uprising;
public financing of campaigns…
Could the greed-propelled “personhood” of corporations (let alone funding from these “persons”) be overturned too?
proportional representation (!) -
and “campaigning” / petitioning for the rule of law! Can you imagine – having to campaign for our leaders and banks et al. to abide by the law?! let alone to honor common decency. A goodly number should be in jail! Truly absurd.
Just think if we didn’t pay for our traffic fines…never showed up in court… we’d eventually be in jail in a NY minute. Bush makes up a war and kills – with impunity. Obama breaches…kills – also with impunity.
What planet am I on?
Money is a part of wars, too…a lot of profitmaking going on, making the wars longer and more intriguing then? Talk about evil!
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Where in the Bible does it say, “money is the root of all evil”? Possibly from “Wiki Answers”:
1Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
I guess the “love of money” being the root of all evil is different from money itself being the root….of the evil. The unfair use of money is the evil here. Unfair…
Imagine – millions for attack ads!! (likely some or most touted lies and lying spins – manipulate manipulate). Did they have a civilized debate, b.t.w.?! Wouldn’t it be great to raise all that money for truly noble causes!
rule of law – rule of justice, whether a law or not – needs to be found in the American haystack of powermongering!!
erred from “I-Thou” pure motives – faith in a higher, clearer sense – it doesn’t have to be a religion.
pierced themselves with sorrows? eventually they’ll feel it. Or maybe they won’t feel anything or can’t – that’s a sorrow too.
Time for Jesus-passion: shoo the money changers out of the triad-temples of ethics, morality, legality!
Demand ethical motives of our candidates! One way is to support ethical ideas and the likes of Rocky Anderson who appears to have a very ethical record!!
Darlene Dee Lux commented
2012-06-06 17:31:14 -0600
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