Now that the Supreme Court has apparently decided that the Calitics Editorial Board’s amicus brief wasn’t all that persuasive in Citizens United, corporate money is now more powerful than ever. Congress has been nibbling around the edges, suggesting some (possibly Constitutional) reforms that would change the way corporations can approve political spending. However, they have, as of yet, really considered the one, and really only, way to combat the Citizens United decision: a publicly financed campaign system. Some big donors are asking Speaker Pelosi to reconsider that:
A coalition of the country’s wealthiest and most politically active campaign donors wrote a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday, urging her to support campaign reform efforts in the wake of last month’s Supreme Court decision allowing unrestricted corporate spending on elections.
The 57 donors who wrote the letter include members of the influential Democracy Alliance group, which includes a number of prominent Californians. (CA Watch)
Of course, Congress doesn’t really like big changes like this. While they might not like the status quo, it keeps them in power. And while I’m not trying to be cynical, I kind of am. Pliticians don’t like change that could up-end their strangle hold on power. And frankly, there’s nothing that would increase the options voters get to choose from more than clean money.
Frankly, with Buckley and Citizens United, clean money is the last best hope to regain control of our government from the corporate interests. It is the people’s force for change, more than any one politician, or party. Don’t expect it to come easy, corporate interests are strong in DC. But we here in California can make a statement for clean money by approving Prop 15, the pilot program for a clean money election system for Secretary of State.
