Commentary
After Wisconsin, a movement to get money out of politics
by U.S. Rep. Keith EllisonBy Keith Ellison
Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., is co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Last Tuesday, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker kept his job, but with a high price tag. In a state of only 6 million people, $60 million was poured into the race, $50 million of which went to Walker. And almost half of that was spent by outside groups — most of them not based in Wisconsin.
This was no isolated event. Since 2010, super PACs and corporations have spent record amounts of money in elections nationwide. Corporate spending soared during the 2010 election cycle to more than $290 million, four times the amount spent in the previous midterm elections in 2006.
Most of this spending would not have been possible without the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission. Before Citizens United, individuals could not contribute more than $10,000 to Wisconsin candidates and political action committees (PACs) — corporate entities or groups of people that contribute to political campaigns. But this all changed when the Supreme Court allowed anyone to spend an unlimited amount on PACs and let corporations and wealthy individuals spend unlimited money on political campaign advertisements. Due to a loophole in state law, Walker could also raise unlimited amounts from individual donors while his opponent, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, had a limit on the dollar amount of contributions.
So how do progressives move forward? The Wisconsin election shows that we will not have a government of, by and for the people as long as we have politicians who are bought and paid for by special interests. Powerful corporations and wealthy donors spent millions on the Wisconsin race because they benefit the most, through tax loopholes for corporations and tax handouts for the rich. Meanwhile, cops, firefighters and teachers pay the tab.
We need to put power back in the hands of the people. That's why this week, the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which I co-chair, is partnering with local governments across the country for Resolutions Week, a nationwide effort to get money out of politics. Throughout the week, local leaders will introduce resolutions supporting a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. I am proud that in my hometown of Minneapolis, the City Council will adopt its own resolution on Friday.
More than 100 state and local governments have introduced similar resolutions. In March, the Alaska Senate passed an amendment proposing that Congress and the president pass a constitutional amendment to stop limitless independent expenditures to influence elections, and the California State Assembly passed a similar resolution. Montana is acting to overturn Citizens United with a petition on the state ballot in November.
Several members of Congress have introduced constitutional amendments to overturn Citizens United. While protecting the freedom of the press, my own Get Corporate Money out of Politics Amendment clearly states that corporations are not people. They do not vote, they do not serve in office, and they should not be able to buy our elections.
If we learned anything from Wisconsin, it's that money should not be able to drown out the voice of the people.
This commentary first appeared in the Huffington Post.
Comments (5)
So, Rep. Ellison, you want to get the money out of politics (elections)?
You want to put the power back in the hands of the People?
Good. That's what you should want.
Now, here is what you do:
Introduce a bill in Congress that says, "No candidate for any elective office in the United States shall solicit, accept, or use in any manner any funds or other valuable consideration from any source other than individual citizens who can actually cast a vote in the election for said candidate."
Very simple.
End of problem.
No longer will we have elections dominated by money from corporations, unions, public employee pension funds, etc.
Only money from citizens. Who can vote in the upcoming election for the candidate they are contributing money to.
No more "Senator 90210", the nick name Paul Wellstone earned by soliciting about 85% of his campaign funds from the filthy rich Hollywood crowd, none of whom could vote in the MN Senatorial election.
You see, Keith, if you are for getting the Corporations out of politics, but leaving the Unions in, you are saying that you are nothing more than an ordinary Democrat Party hack, interested merely in using the government to further the desires of your Party at the expense of the People.
If you truely are a man of the People, you will want to get the Unions out of the elections also, along with the Corporations and the Hollywood crowd of sycophants.
Union money in elections is just as dirty & ugly as Corporate money. Man up, Keith.
How should Republicans or Conservatives who now seem to benefit the most or atleast have the edge in the new money game, respond to limiting or getting money out of politics ? Why should they give up their newly acquired weapon? Why wouldn't the rich and powerful want a firm grip on power? Why should anyone care? Or why shouldn't everyone be concerned? Because if history is a guide, it means we are now treading on dangerous ground. We are setting the stage for a new revolution.
What's missing in this is the Union Money. Rep Ellison claims to be Pro Worker and Pro Union yet sadly I have seen a different side. I was a 7 year Union employee. My union is one of Rep Ellisons biggest donors. One day I was hurt while working. The company said your heavy, any injury must be your fault. With that I was let go. My union was too busy to even file a grievance. A Minnesota judge would later rule that Delta & the insurance company lacked logic and common sense. That no medical evidence was used other then well your kinda fat. I won my case but the damage was done. I lost my house and job and for two years became homeless. Rep Ellison finally reached out to me Jan 2012 saying he wanted to meet. His people later told me thats not going to happen. I questioned Rep Ellison who told me he wanted to..... then blocked me. That was 6 months ago. I was abandoned by my union and Mr Ellison while Ellison continued to get money from the money collected from my union dues. Where is the outrage over what happened Mr Ellison? You got $10,000 from my union last year thanks to my dues and yet I get abandoned by both? A judge saw through what Delta did.... you ignore it. Instead of focusing where others money is coming from you should get your own house in order. @gregstaffa
Adding branches of representatives filled with people randomly could approximate us while not overthrowing familiarity with what we have. In addition to lessoning money's influence, random representation might give voices to the inactive who do not write to congress, the polite who do not impose or protest, the untalented who cannot articulate quickly, the unorganized who lack amplification and the unpopular who fear condemnation.
In addition to being a more accurate system of representation, random representation might be fun for both the public and the media.
terry franklin hit a pretty populist point. the problem is that the voter-votee relationship now represents a dwindling portion of the campaign financing system. In reality most money goes into issues-groups like Karl Roves Crossroads GPS. In reality I think the only solution is to tax political donations of any kind, type or stripe at 20%. That'll kill off political funding faster than any other approach.
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