Campaign Finance - the underlying barrier for most political issues (legal, drugs)

[Midpack]

I'd contend that most of our political debates will never change in a meaningful way until we address campaign finance, and the legally corrupt influence of the top .05% (never mind the top 1%). This TED video is the most effective description of the problem I have seen in quite a while. It does not go into solutions (*), but we start by defining the problem.

Lawrence Lessig: We the People, and the Republic we must reclaim | Video on TED.com

If it generates discussion on solutions, so be it.

* available elsewhere, but not the purpose of this thread

[pch1013]

Agree 100%. The U.S. is effectively more corrupt than any Third World country, but we're in denial about it -- and we cloak that corruption in lofty rhetoric about "freedom of speech."

[kovert]

Citizens United already addressed the campaign finance issue.

As long as Americans get to keep their x-box and playstations, they pretty much seem to be cool with it.

[Globe199]

Don't forget the brain dead, complicit media. They're too scared to do their jobs.

[wutitiz]

good thread topic, OP.

One point that I never see the Lessigs and other finance reformers address is that any possible reform scheme they can come up with could be circumvented thru Mexico-style, under-the-table corruption.

I draw an analogy between the War on Drugs and the War on Campaign Finance. Both rely generally on an interdiction strategy to stop a trade that is harmful. The war on drugs, of course, bans sales of street drugs. It hasn't worked. The war on campaign finance would ban the 'funders' from shoveling money to their preferred political office holders. I predict that attempts to interdict campaign money will be no more successful than attempts to interdict the drug trade.

As long as there is a sufficient demand from drug users, the drugs will get thru, and the drug transactions will take place. Likewise as long as there is sufficient power in DC, people will find a way to peddle it and buy it. The transactions will continue to take place.

That leaves the only solution as a radical shrinking of government, a downsizing of the power that is available to DC electeds. If they no longer have the power at their fingertips, they will no longer be able to line the pockets of the 'funders.' And when that happens, the funders will stop funding,

[Winter_Sucks]

Money needs to be out of politics and redistricting needs to be out of the hands of politicians.