BEHOLD! THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL OF DROPPINGS

 

 

 

By Dr. Laurie Roth Ph.D.
February 3, 2004
NewsWithViews.com

Have you ever wondered how all the loud mouth politicians can say they represent us, feel our pain, and won't leave anyone behind? I don't know about you, but I've never met a multimillionaire or lawyer who cared about my pain and suffering, unless of course, I shell out big bucks for a photo op or appointment. It's kind of like the liberal, rich guys running for office now. Their natural inclination to love us is most acute when we pay more taxes so they can spend more money on girlfriends and secret treatments of Botox. Of course I should be kind. They need more money than they use to. Just the process of getting rid of these same girlfriends can be very spendy. Most of us have never even had an intern, let alone had a committee assigned to get rid of them.

It also astonishes me when politicians on both sides of the line scream passionately about campaign finance reform. Don't you just love this high level game they play while pretending to reform the donation pipeline. All they have done is to move the widgets around on the board and suddenly you have even more money from different types of creative companies and individuals. If Enron can play offshore games to avoid taxes and the law then politicians can play corporate cover games to gain campaign donations. It's pure democracy at its best. Just the way our founding fathers pictured it. Hear the cry of today's politician. "If only I could get another 50 million dollars I could run for office." "Dean is slipping into oblivion and can barely compete because he is down to his last 3 million". But of course, Bush has 200 million and is in great shape to represent the folks. Of course, when we hear these endless references and pleadings about the Politician's war chest, we rarely hear about the obvious questions. If fund raising is the biggest requirement to being in office today, then why shouldn't Donald Trump or Bill Gates be President? Why are we wasting time with these Panty Wastes? We are so open about immigration, why don't we just fly over the big Shiekeepooh from the House of Fraud in Saudi Arabia. He could run the country. Heck! He already owns half of it!

It seems to me, long ago we gave up our republic view of equal representation to a mafia style "pay for play" model. It's just like some of the corrupt music business where some DJs have gotten busted for "payola". "You give me money and I will play your song". Wow! It just hit me. These same DJs could run the country. They already know how to bribe and raise money. What else do they need?

I'm not suggesting that everyone who has big money is bad, but I am curious about a system that has now essentially excluded every plumber, house wife, truck driver and school teacher from running for office. If the biggest gate keeper to running for office is big money, we are nothing more than a pseudo dictatorship. The REAL gatekeeper should be love for country, character, a background of "REAL" work, military experience, and a vision for our country. I could care less about political experience. Boring!

If we want REAL campaign finance reform then we need to consider changing the entire system for electing officials. Money and outside pack influence should be entirely taken out of politics. People running for local, state and federal elections should debate their ideas for FREE on a national Political Debate Channel, Radio Channel and Internet Web site. If a radio, TV and a web site were assigned to local, state and federal races, then perhaps a normal Joe could actually share his vision and join the race. Why not approach the elections like a 6 month NBA season, where debates occur every week and the country votes on them each week until the candidates are whittled down to a winner. Of course, the power brokers who have condos in China wouldn't like that idea. That would make too much sense and would essentially boot the Lawyer/millionaire/politicians out of office.

Wouldn't it just do your heart good to watch a small business owner of a donut shop address the House and a mom address the Senate. Now that's what you call campaign finance reform. As far as I'm concerned these politicians can take their millionaire, Robert's Rule of Orders and their Stepford Wives Handbook and stick it in their ear!

� 2004 Dr. Laurie Roth Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved

Sign Up For Free E-Mail Alerts