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RESPONSE TO NELSON HORTON

Reader comment on item: Reflections on Obama's Inauguration
in response to reader comment: The Real Government

Submitted by DANIEL REDMOND (United States), Jan 23, 2010 at 13:11

I agree with the comments made by Mr. Horton. Sad as it is, the fact that the election process of our country has been corrupted by the influence of money is irrefutable. And it has been that way for a long, long time. I think that the first president to address the issue was Teddy Roosevelt, who made some inroads against the growing political and social power of monopolies. In Roosevelt's time---the late 19th and early 20th Centuries---the United States was well on its way to becoming nothing more than a northern version of a banana republic with virtually all wealth concentrated in the hands of an oligarchy of corporate owner/managers and their elected flunkies. Perhaps the single greatest equalizer of power was the creation of labor unions which led directly to a more equatable distribution of wealth and, eventually, to the development of what we now call the "Middle Class," which is the backbone of our nation socially and economically. But government is still largely manipulated by special interests and most politicians deserve the dismal reputation that they have.

I read some time ago that the average U.S. Senator must spend a minimum of six million dollars on a re-election campaign to have any chance of winning. This means that he or she must raise nearly $3,000 per day seven days a week for their entire six year term in office in order to keep their job. No wonder that so many of them turn to the deep pockets of corporate America to fulfill that monetary goal. And there is, of course, always a quid pro quo in such arrangements. Industry lobbyists have been known to actually settle down at a desk, by invitation, in a senator or congressman's office and, with the help of their staff, literally pull out their laptops and write the laws they want proposed in the Senate or on the floor of the House of Representatives.

In recent years we've seen the development of a new phenomenon---the super-rich politician simply buying power out of his own pocket. This has occurred in the past---as in the case of Nelson Rockefeller (former governor of New York), his brother Winthrop (former governor of Arkansas), and John D. "Jay" Rockefeller IV (U.S. senator from W.Virginia)---but has now become more common with such people as Mayor Bloomberg of New York City, a multi-billionaire who has spent more than sixty million dollars of his own money on each election bid and bullied the City Counsel into rescinding mandatory term limitations so that he could serve a third term in office. What is the answer to this? To effectively level the playing field for all candidates it would become necessary to limit the amount that can be contributed by any single source, including oneself, to any campaign and to simultaneously limit how much any candidate can spend on a campaign. Absent such restrictions we will continue to see those with the greatest financial resources remaining in the driver's seat of our government. I am a relative youngster compared to Mr. Horton, but at age 61 I've learned enough to realize that this isn't likely to happen anytime soon, as it would take the passing of laws by the very people who are currently in office due to the unfair realities of the very system we need to reform. - DANIEL REDMOND

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Reader comments (40) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Welcome Back From Dazed-Land Dr. Pipes! [143 words]Sofa SogoodJan 22, 2010 01:41167706
The Real Government [218 words]Nelson HortonJul 8, 2009 19:30158633
RESPONSE TO NELSON HORTON [560 words]DANIEL REDMONDJan 23, 2010 13:11158633
"A National Guidance Council" ??? [357 words]Tenton N. HortonJan 25, 2010 10:26158633
THE OBAMA PRESIDENCY [295 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
DANIEL REDMONDFeb 3, 2009 00:54149720
A candidate unexamined. [193 words]Abu NudnikJul 9, 2009 01:30149720
A LOOK AT THE CONSTITUTION [197 words]DANIEL REDMONDJul 13, 2009 19:18149720
You don't reacall hearing it? So what! [146 words]Abu NudnikJul 18, 2009 19:21149720
RESPONSE TO NUDNIK'S LATEST RANT [205 words]DANIEL REDMONDJul 22, 2009 19:46149720
Proof that Narcissism and blind worship of the Obamassiah are closely related [49 words]Abu NudnikJul 24, 2009 17:13149720
unbelievable. [137 words]jenJan 22, 2010 22:00149720
ROUND AND ROUND WE GO, JEN [587 words]DANIEL REDMONDJan 23, 2010 10:19149720
Amazement [91 words]yuval Brandstetter MDJan 24, 2010 00:32149720
MEDIA BIAS [319 words]DANIEL REDMONDJan 24, 2010 15:09149720
Well he just did [120 words]yuval Brandstetter MDJan 25, 2010 11:28149720
Obama's appetizers & beverages come before the main fare. [154 words]M.D'SouzaJan 27, 2009 20:41149299
Obama: His Appointment of Marine General James L. Jones As National Security Advisor [118 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Renee BouvierJan 27, 2009 14:33149246
Dubious personal qualities? [21 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
ArthurJan 25, 2009 18:32149036
Dubious character indeed [81 words]Abu NudnikJul 9, 2009 01:34149036
This has to be said now for all americans and australians to think about [971 words]Tess (Australia)Jan 25, 2009 07:43149004
Alternative Worldviews [18 words]Clifford IshiiJan 21, 2009 21:25148714
What if the Pilgrims of 1623 had had Foreign Aid. bailouts etc... [207 words]VigilantJan 21, 2009 11:44148651
If that were the case [18 words]true believerJan 29, 2009 00:19148651
Over seas of massive liberals and a few good people, what I saw was unprecedented! [796 words]vigilantJan 21, 2009 11:22148649
Spending [72 words]Martin KantorJan 20, 2009 22:30148590
Today's Coronation [117 words]NoshariaJan 20, 2009 21:28148580
Democrats Intrusion on my personal freedom [36 words]Paula BethJan 20, 2009 19:45148567
Coming policies of the Democrats [324 words]Kyle GosnellJan 20, 2009 19:15148562
22 months to hope that the damage is not irreperable [240 words]saraJan 20, 2009 18:25148557
irreperable mess we will have to undo! [367 words]VigilantJan 21, 2009 19:06148557
My dear people of America, stand up if you want change to eliminate high taxes and more government rules and regulations. [102 words]vigilantJan 22, 2009 19:06148557
Obama's words and methods are right [229 words]George WalterJan 27, 2009 02:46148557
No george walter, the war against communism was won by military might not by empty words!!!!! [147 words]canadian sentryFeb 1, 2009 08:42148557
Right or wrong, [37 words]Vera TomanovaJan 20, 2009 10:59148520
Dazed and confused [113 words]Rebecca MouldsJan 20, 2009 10:54148516
Reflections [32 words]PhillipJan 20, 2009 10:53148515
Intrustions on personal freedom by Obama [129 words]TheCentristJan 20, 2009 01:14148486
Intrusions on personal freedom [213 words]AlexanderJan 20, 2009 23:22148486
necessary intrusions should be only as long as the problem exists. [84 words]joel carsonJan 21, 2009 14:11148486
Change [19 words]Mark RothJan 19, 2009 21:13148472

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Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

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