With the current economic ‘crises’ that seem to be prevailing the nation and parts of the world, one has to look the prematurely started presidential campaign and its estimated expenditure over its course. Estimates have already pegged the campaign spending for Obama’s reelection, both through his campaign and outside proponents, at one billion dollars. That is a lot of money that is really going towards one thing, the possible election of one person into a position of ternary power.
Not only should we be looking at how such an affront to the democratic process where the populous is set with determining the officials to be elected is allowed to exist within all manner of legal means but why so much money is being diverted into semi-useless facets when it can be diverted to more important measures. Regardless of how much money is spent on the election campaign, the election will happen and someone will win it, the levels of excess in spending for campaigns is almost pointless in the long run.
In school we are taught about the evils and dishonesty in the old political machines of 100 years ago, where the dead voted, thugs coerced citizens to select their Man and special interests paid handsomely for special favors. All such practices were looked upon with disdain and some elicited legal recourse. Yet here we are after the hay day of the Big Chicago Machine and the same situations are mostly recurring, with full abandon and in the limelight.
The same type of political gerrymandering that occurred at the turn of the last century and was considered, immoral, illegal and unethical, is now protected, supported and encouraged by the legal system. Now instead of having to supply a suitcase of hundreds in a seedy motel you show up at a luncheon and write a check, then turn around and get a break on your taxes for doing your thing to support the candidate of your flavor.
The idea of having the people, the citizens of the nation, elect their officials is farcical when a few hundred extremely wealthy individuals are the ones that provide the most financial support for elections, fill the ears of the officials at all times through their PAC’s while in office and ultimately massage their own agendas into place. While at the same time, having enough money left over to apply the appropriate messages and sounds bites to sway public opinion in their favor.
This is not new, nor has our nation ever been without this sort of influence, what is most disparaging is the fact that it is open, accepted and legally within the bounds of the system and has been building to this point for a long time now.
Regardless of your political bend, the Amerikan ideal of ‘I have mine, so screw you’ needs to end if we are going to survive as a people. I would say it is shocking that so many purported followers of Christ, who taught nothing but acceptance, compassion, sharing and caring for fellow man, are some of the most vocal supporters of this ideology…but that would mean these people would have to be true to their faith every once in a while instead of using it as a weapon for their own hatreds.
