MONEY. Spent by someone, in SUPPORT of a particular cause or a political candidate.
MONEY. Spent by someone, to work AGAINST an opposing political candidate or to support an opposing ideology.
MONEY. Spent by someone, in SUPPORT of a cause that stands antithetical to their OWN core ideals, simply because that group stands opposed to another candidate.
MONEY. Spent by someone, in support of BOTH CANDIDATES in order to establish influence with elected officials… no matter who wins an election.
Whether it’s in the SUNLIGHT or through DARK MONEY methods, the result is the SAME- legislators legislate based on MONEY, and the pursuit there of. Of course it would eventually lead to SELF-ENRICHMENT over the wellbeing of the NATION.
We are ALL BUT MEN, susceptible to fallacy and vice.
In a system based on HONOR, it was only a matter of TIME.
Without the financial support of the NRA, how many candidates over the course of the last 30 YEARS would NOT have been able to run for elected office? How many SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES would have LOST without that support?
A generational POWERHOUSE like the NRA falls due to the same vice, the same corrupt motives seen countless times before. Now, the recklessness of individuals at the TOP of that organization have put our LIVES in jeopardy by prioritizing MONEY over SAFETY. In order to strengthen their position, they’ve worked to create a false equivalence between SAFETY and DISARMAMENT, between our Constitutional Right and financial support for a NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.
Talk about effective marketing. How much MONEY did that cost?
MONEY shapes the conversation. MONEY decides who is INCLUDED IN that conversation. MONEY INFORMS you that there’s a conversation to be had on the subject in the FIRST PLACE…
MONEY is spent everyday to make sure you don’t realize that conversation even EXISTS.
Speaking on the issues of Equal Rights for Women in September 2010, Justice Scalia said: “Certainly the Constitution does not require discrimination on the basis of sex. The only issue is whether it prohibits it. It doesn’t.”
Maybe it was truly believed at some time in the past, that the protection of women should be SOLELY the responsibility of men and that women were better off NOT having to worry about taking care of themselves. One could… theoretically… construct a legal argument that would rationalize the SEPARATE STATUS of HALF of the population.
BUT… is there ANY DOUBT as to the question of EQUALITY? The only argument against Equal Rights for Women that passes as SUFFICIENT is, “They ALREADY have it.”
Well, it seems we’re ALL in agreement then… they SHOULD HAVE IT.
Yet they STILL do not.
WHY.
Imagine if HALF of the United States Senate was NOT given EQUAL STANDING. It might have been easier to pass the Affordable Care Act! It might have been easier to SHUT IT DOWN.
The effect of denying Equality to HALF of the population is- it allows the continuation of agendas that are not in the interest of THE PEOPLE, but they ARE in the interest of people and organizations that would stand to LOSE MONEY if the Constitution suddenly demanded Women must have EQUAL PAY.
MONEY should not define our Legislative Moral Agendas. MONEY should not be the deciding factor in whether someone is WORTHY of Equal Justice Under Law. From the HIGHEST COURT to the local Circuit Court. From CORRUPTION to POSSESSION…
… with LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL.
Not just for SOME or a SELECT FEW. If we BELIEVE it is SO, then we should MAKE IT SO!
If MONEY decides who can have ACCESS to POWER, then controlling who can have ACCESS to the MONEY makes it easier RETAIN POWER by RE-DEFINING the electorate. People who are able to make more MONEY will be able to live in… certain areas where property values are HIGHER. And those who cannot will live in… OTHER locations.
Some locations PRE-DETERMINED, in order to assist lower-income families. Locations that exist within or near ALREADY existing, lower-income neighborhoods. Now, add the ability possessed by legislators to RE-DRAW their OWN DISTRICT LINES every 10 YEARS, and we can see where the problem LIES.
Change the district, change the vote totals… change the representation.
Change the AGENDA.
Change the NARRATIVE, CONTROL the conversation.
When you consider the HUNDREDS of BILLIONS of dollars made by interests like the pharmaceutical industry or oil and gas companies, and compare that to the MINISCULE investment of TENS of MILLIONS of dollars in a handful of political races, there’s no FINANCIAL RATIONAL for these entities to support causes like Equal Rights for Women, or a $15 minimum wage, or mandating employers provide heath insurance coverage for their employees, or mandating prisons pay the added expense of providing feminine hygiene products to female prisoners.
For the de minimis price of a few campaign contributions, companies can continue to charge $1000 for insulin, while insurance companies are able to deny coverage due to the very pre-existing condition that created the need for that insulin in the first place.
I’m not saying anything NEW, we ALL have eyes to see… but all we have are “If’s and But’s”. We’ve been SOLD the idea that THIS is the way it MUST BE… by the SAME PEOPLE who run for office on our hopes for CHANGE, over, and over again every 2 to 4 years.
“THIS TIME will be different… Just send me BACK for another term!”
“… can we count on YOU for a CONTRIBUTION?”
We have MAJORITIES on many issues, and legislation DOES NOT MOVE.
WHY.
The MAJORITY of the MAJORITY decides the Legislative Agenda. It doesn’t matter the OVERALL number of Senators who support legislation, if a MAJORITY of leaders in the CONTROLLING PARTY do not approve, the legislation does NOT GET A VOTE.
THE MINORITY decides the agenda for the MAJORITY.
And those leaders are there because they are the BEST FUNDRAISERS, able to secure re-election over multiple terms, having raised HUNDREDS of MILLIONS of dollars for their political organization, and their POLITICAL PARTY. And, of course… it’s all TAX EXEMPT.
I’m not seeking the Presidency for recognition. I’m not doing this as a way to prove something. I’m doing this because… I found the ANSWER. I figured it out. I SOLVED the problem!
I decided to TRY, to answer the question that no one seems to have been able to properly address. And now, knowing that it CAN BE DONE… I see it as MY DUTY to do everything I can to bring it to the attention of every American Citizen.
To be SILENT at this moment would be nothing short of SURRENDER.
The problem within our rule of law is CLEAR to anyone who knows ANYTHING about our government- The problem is the CORRUPTION. Any system that allows the influence of MONEY to determine who will be allowed to legislate for the rest of us, will inevitably favor those with MONEY over those without.
The Framers were RIGHT… this IS an “experiment”. When our Nation’s existence is viewed in-total, as a set of FACTS and DATA, conclusions can be reached. Recommendations can be made.
Our strength and security is ensured when EVERY CITIZEN is guaranteed access to the ballot. Any system that LIMITS access or attempts to correct, distort, or interpret the WILL of the people, is inherently susceptible to corruption.
ONE CITIZEN=ONE VOTE. EVERY CITIZEN. EVERY ELECTION.
To remove the corruption from our system, we must have 100% TAX PAYER FUNDED Federal Elections. Remove the CORRUPTION, restore HONOR in governance.
Our intellectual debates are decided, not by VOTES, but by who can raise the most MONEY. Who can excite the DONORS? Then, LATER, re-brand or move toward the middle for the general election.
A 20th Century Strategy, employed within an 18th Century electoral system, now being manipulated by 21st Century technology… Where will it go from HERE?
“It is their Right, it is their DUTY, to throw off such government, and provide NEW GUARDS for their future Security.”
We celebrate our Constitution, not simply because it is OURS. We celebrate our Constitution because it is a document WORTHY of our CELEBRATION!
A document unlike any other that came before it, embodying a genius so profound it has become the STANDARD to which we compare ALL OTHERS that have followed it.
We now have what the Founders did NOT… we have the DATA. We must celebrate because the “Experiment” shows- they were right!
Today, we STAND as PROOF.
We must End the Electoral College.
JC
End The Electoral College NOW!! 