Let's state this unequivocally, we need to take our country back.
Our country has been systematically hijacked, usurped by the massive financial, military/industrial and energy behemoths that completely controls the political process-something not unknown by most of the people.
That last part, control of the political process, is the key reason "things" are the way they are. These interests help write the laws, regulations, oversight and enforcement enacted that go to the sole benefit of those interests. Again, it's not unknown by most people; our office holders are beholden to these interests that underwrite their campaigns.
Even that self important blowhard Donald Trump acknowledged as much in one of the recent Republican "debates" saying when he gave money to a candidate he expected something in return. Of course it's legalized bribery, but the laws on the books "portray" it as legal. That's just the "tip of the iceberg".
The electoral/political system in place is essentially owned "lock, stock and barrel" by the monstrous interests and will remain that way unless the system of legalized bribery is scrapped and replaced with a publically financed electoral system for all elections, federal. state and local.
Consider; even in the unlikely event Bernie Sanders wins the Democratic nomination and defeats which ever non-descript boob the Repubs. put up there, with a Congress currently constituted as it is, he will be unable to change anything.
The only way for Bernie to succeed would be a direct appeal to the people, clearly articulating the current money dominated electoral system is completely corrupt and must be replaced with a publically financed electoral system with candidates not beholden to big moneyed interests who will work for the peoples interests.
Lawrence Lessig in his aborted run for the Democratic nomination alluded to it in his one issue campaign, passing meaningful campaign finance reform-aka public financing of elections-is needed to end the corrupting influence of money in Washington.
Now the issue of publically financed elections isn't glamorous or grabbed the imagination of most people. When I've talked with people, mostly I get at best a lukewarm reception, "Yeah, okay, I agree" but no internal light bulb turns on indicating aha, this is what we need to do.
Yes, there's been a campaign to overturn "Citizens United" with an amendment to the Constitution. A great idea now going on nearly six years since SCOTUS ruling essentially making for an avalanche of billionaire and corporate money to completely corrupt the electoral system. But an amendment is a long shot at best even as the campaign is slowly building momentum around the country.
Think about it; our illegal wars and occupations, the trumped up "war on terrorism", essentially doing nothing to avert climate change and the ravages of global warming, allowing fracking operations to contaminate underground fresh water, bailing out the big banks that were the perpetrators of the 2008 financial crisis and great recession, the off-shoring of jobs, the decline and closure of domestic manufacturing-and the jobs that went with it-sending it to 3rd world countries, the crumbling infrastructure, roads and bridges, the over a $trillion in college student loan debt, the home foreclosure crisis tossing people out of their homes, no universal health care, single payer, Medicare type system. The list is endless. The problems and issues are left to fester with essentially nothing being done. It's a travesty.
Real reform, problems and issues that could be dealt with effectively are blocked and ignored. Mean while our "politics" has descended into mindlessness and gridlock, grandstanding over immigration, attacking "planned parenthood", same sex marriage, now fear of refugees disguised as terrorists entering the country, the latest phony issue taken up by our politicos to further scare the people.
Meanwhile funding for our wars, contracts with the defense industry, NSA surveillance et al are all rubber stamped and approved by Congress.
Again, as long as the corrupt electoral system remains in place, the real problems and issues facing this country will not be dealt with, even so much as brought up for discussion.
For now, we the people are hostages to that corrupt system and will remain so unless we fully recognize what binds us, break free and demand what's necessary to change it.
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