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NationofChange / Op-Ed
Published: Saturday 14 July 2012
“We can have a democracy or we can have great wealth in the hands of a comparative few, but we cannot have both.”
The Selling of American Democracy: The Perfect Storm
Photo By: Tracy Knauss
Who’s buying our democracy? Wall Street financiers, the Koch brothers, and casino magnates Sheldon Adelson and Steve Wynn.
And they’re doing much of it in secret.
It’s a perfect storm:
The greatest concentration of wealth in more than a century — courtesy “trickle-down” economics, Reagan and Bush tax cuts, and the demise of organized labor.
Combined with…
Unlimited political contributions — courtesy of Republican-appointed Justices Roberts, Scalia, Alito, Thomas, and Kennedy, in one of the dumbest decisions in Supreme Court history, “Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission,” along with lower-court rulings that have expanded it.
Combined with…
Complete secrecy about who’s contributing how much to whom — courtesy of a loophole in the tax laws that allows so-called non-profit “social welfare” organizations to accept the unlimited contributions for hard-hitting political ads.
Put them all together and our democracy is being sold down the drain.
With a more equitable and traditional distribution of wealth, far more Americans would have a fair chance of influencing politics. As the great jurist Louis Brandeis once said, “we can have a democracy or we can have great wealth in the hands of a comparative few, but we cannot have both.”
Alternatively, inequality wouldn’t be as much of a problem if we had strict laws limiting political spending or, at the very least, disclosing who was contributing what.
But we have an almost unprecedented concentration of wealth and unlimited political spending and secrecy.
I’m not letting Democrats off the hook. Democratic candidates are still too dependent on Wall Street casino moguls and real casino magnates (Steve Wynn has been a major contributor to Harry Reid, for example). George Soros and a few others have poured big bucks into Democratic coffers. So have a handful of trade unions.
But make no mistake. Compared to what the GOP is doing this year, Democrats are conducting a high-school bake sale. The mega-selling of American democracy is a Republican invention, and Romney and the GOP are its major beneficiaries.
And the losers aren’t just Democrats. They’re the American people.
You need to make a ruckus. Don’t fall into the seductive trap of cynicism. That’s what the sellers of American democracy are counting on. If you give up on our system of government, they win everything.
This coming Monday, for example, the Senate has scheduled a cloture vote on the DISCLOSE ACT, which would at least require that outfits like the Chamber of Commerce and Karl Rove’s “Crossroads GPS” disclose who’s contributing what. Contact your senators, and have your friends and relatives in other states — especially those with Republican senators (who have been united in their opposition to disclosure) — contact theirs. If the DISCLOSE ACT is voted down, hold accountable those senators (and, when and if it gets to the House, those House members) who are selling out our democracy for the sake of their own personal ambitions.
This article was originally posted on Robert Reich's blog.
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ABOUT Robert Reich
ROBERT B. REICH, one of the nation’s leading experts on work and the economy, is Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley. He has served in three national administrations, most recently as secretary of labor under President Bill Clinton. Time Magazine has named him one of the ten most effective cabinet secretaries of the last century. He has written thirteen books, including his latest best-seller, “Aftershock: The Next Economy and America’s Future;” “The Work of Nations,” which has been translated into 22 languages; and his newest, an e-book, “Beyond Outrage.” His syndicated columns, television appearances, and public radio commentaries reach millions of people each week. He is also a founding editor of the American Prospect magazine, and Chairman of the citizen’s group Common Cause. His widely-read blog can be found at www.robertreich.org.
23 comments on "The Selling of American Democracy: The Perfect Storm"
July 15, 2012 6:47pm
I have just convinced myself after 55 years that it is impossible to have Fair and Equal Justice for all in the United States of America and I am going to try and explain why.
1.] There are four identities in a Trail seeking justice in a case.
A. The Judge.
B. The Prosecutor.
C. The Defense Attorney/Defendent.
D. The jury of peers.
2.] The Judge works for the State.
3.] The Prosecutor works for the State.
4.] The Defense Attorney works for the Defendent.
5.] The jury works for Justice for the victim.
If two of these identities work for the State how can the Defense get a Fair Trial? The many things a Judge Rules for or against, or allows to happen in the Courtroom in the presence of the jury has a tremendous affect on the jury and the outcome of the trial.
Now that the Supreme Court of America has ruled that Corporations have the same Rights to free speech as an Individual, all laws will favor the Rich and Powerful, all courts will favor the Rich and Powerful and there can never be Fair and Equal Justice.
The great jurist Louis Brandeis once said, “we can have a democracy or we can have great wealth in the hands of a comparative few, but we cannot have both.”
The Senate has scheduled a cloture vote on the DISCLOSE ACT, which would at least require that outfits like the Chamber of Commerce and Karl Rove’s “Crossroads GPS” disclose who’s contributing what. Contact your senators, and have your friends and relatives in other states — especially those with Republican senators (who have been united in their opposition to disclosure) — contact theirs. If the DISCLOSE ACT is voted down, hold accountable those senators (and, when and if it gets to the House, those House members) who are selling out our democracy for the sake of their own personal ambitions.
THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE A JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT WILL PROVIDE FAIR AND EQUAL JUSICE FOR ALL IS FOR ALL AMERICANS TO VOTE DEMOCRATIC.
July 15, 2012 11:16am
Unfortunately, I have yet to see a practical solution to the problem Robert Reich has so articulately written of, and spoken out about. Do we go for a constitutional amendment? Which one? Can we amend when Congress is most likely in corporate hands already? Do we protest? To what end? (Maybe to inform, and persuade?) Do we limit the power of The Supreme Court through the exceptions rule, using Congress' power? Especially if Congress is abysmal? If I had my way I would go for some variation on "The Human Rights Amendment" proposal which is short, basic, and seems to carry a wallop of a punch against the corporate, and money power over our government system: http://abolishcorporatepersonhoodnow.org/2012/02/25/the-human-rights-ame....
Still, there's the "little" problem of maybe there will be too many people mislead, and too many corrupted, muddled, and fearful politicians to allow for the righting of things? Maybe we, as a society, will have to be so badly mistreated for us to wake up, and do what people did in Eastern Europe, or Iran against tyranny within roughly the last two decades?
July 15, 2012 9:14am
to complain to and about politicians doesn't serve any purpose. what we need is to demonstrateand unravel the causal chain of events which has culminated in the subordination of the entire world's social, political and cultural agenda to economics. this clearly means that we witness the end of an over idealized system which once, actually long time ago, could be called democracy - a system which was designed to serve the many and now only serves the few. if we need to blame somebody, lets look in the mirror!
July 15, 2012 8:14am
The sheep will never respond to any issue without the leadership of a champion that has shown the courage to take on any special interest that threatens to end the promises that our forefathers established and recorded in our Constitution. We haven't had leaders like this since the 1950s and 60s when true Americans like John Kennedy (on the Left) and Ike Eisenhower (on the Right) spoke truth to the corruption that has always been present in our system. Both had distinguished service in our military during some of this countries darkest days and both were viciously attacked for their patriotism when they came up against the wealthy Washington power structure. This set the stage for five decades of spineless leadership that has freely given complete control of our society to the wealthy elites and corporate psychopaths. In the absence of a true champion, corruption will continue to exist and a pleasing puppet in a position of leadership will always prevent any real change which will keep the sheep in line !
July 15, 2012 8:31am
Canada has a system where the political parties receive a couple of dollars for each vote cast for their party and also has strict spending limits and donation procedures for election spending, which are vigorously enforced. One of their ministers is now in deep doo doo with the elections people for over spending, which can result in jail, heavy fines and sanctions to the point of declaring that riding's election invalid I believe. Canadians take fair play very seriously it seems. This all allows for a more even playing field for all political views to be expressed and forces political parties to at least have some concern for the voting public. This system also tends to moderate extreme political views from both the right and left of the spectrum. While the American motto is "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." the Canadian motto I believe is "peace and good government." I'd certainly give up a little pursuit of happiness for some good government. Try it out, "life, liberty, and good government." Sounds just about right doesn't it. Now what can our Canadian friends learn from America?
July 15, 2012 7:17am
It's the some of the people you can fool all the time that's the problem. They believe any lies that suit their vanities and discount any truth that doesn't. Easy prey for pundits, politicians and profiteers. 'The truth and only the truth' should be the only restriction placed upon Free Speech. But there is one irrefutable truth that time has shown us, bricks made of bullshit turn to dust. Build your house of bullshit bricks, and it will fall.
July 15, 2012 8:46am
ANONO, I've never heard the bricks of bullshit line before, great thought along with the truth and only the truth shall be the only restriction. Concise and powerful.
July 14, 2012 9:47pm
Don't trouble yourself about affording college for your children. Teach them to doff their hats and look at the ground as the new Royals roll by. The peasant minds muck-fed by Fux News are dragging us back to the Good Old Days of feudalism as their masters-to-be chuckle in contempt while they close the net with their irrational demagoguery. Obama is somewhat of a disappointment but a President RoMoney will certainly complete the sellout!
July 14, 2012 7:19pm
All the Citizens United decision did was sprinkle holy water on something that has been going on for decades. Public disclosure commissions in many states, including my own state of Washington, have posted political donations for years. For every ballot initiative and every candidate for public office, from county clerk to governor, anyone with Internet access can find out who is contributing to which side and how much.
I have watched voters shoot themselves in the foot time after time while ignoring who contributes millions to races for political candidates and for/against ballot initiatives. People just want an excuse for their own stupidity and a silver bullet to save them from their own stupidity, not learn how to vote wisely.
It is interesting that my neighbor, ANACORTESREALTOR, doesn't seem to know about this. Actually, corporations that donate big bucks only make voting easier for someone who knows what to look for.
For me, analyzing an initiative, listening to candidates tell lies, and watching morons respond to them on TV is more fun than using a crutch to see who the bad guys are. The PDC information only validates what I can usually figure out myself. If I am still unsure, the first page of contributions, in descending order, tells me who is contributing Big Money to buy the election. Reaching agreement to amend the Constitution is hard to do, and is completely unnecessary.
July 14, 2012 6:11pm
While we're casting about for solutions, I'd suggest a sales tax on all "investment" vehicles. Stocks and stock options, bonds, money market, mutual funds of all types, etc. This wouldn't impact the small long term investor, only high volume traders. In Ontario I can't think of a single (legal) product or service that isn't heavily taxed, except pieces of corporations or some derivative thereof... and political contributions (i.e. when buying politicians) of course which is not only tax free but 100 percent deductible. Go figure. Looking at the trading volumes, even just a half percent tax on stock shares alone would pay off the national debt in a year I'm guessing.
July 14, 2012 4:52pm
It is time to put up or shut up. I suggest a "Millions Mad March" in Washington, DC. It is time to call these tyrannical plutocrats to the carpet. It is time to shut it down until they come to their senses.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/just-capital-99-percent_b_16...
http://twopesos-protestfortheundocumented.blogspot.com/2012/07/millions-...
July 14, 2012 4:44pm
The Nov 2010 election was a signal, but not the kind freedom loving people wanted to see. Now if the country doubles down and goes with these (so many adjectives fit) plutocrats this coming Nov, there will be nothing to stop them. Look what they did for the past 4 years. Government has almost ground to a halt. Our concern for those who are unemployed, homeless, and hungry has turned into blame, shame, and contempt.
We the People chose to hire a ruling class because we became to lazy and unwilling to sacrifice 4 or 6 years of our lives to serve in OUR government. The blame is all on We the People that we have a government full of mercenaries out only for themselves and the masters they serve.
July 14, 2012 4:35pm
This is the first time in my 61-year history that I actually feel threatened. I lived in the Third World for 14 years, had my life seriously threatened twice, and never felt the fear I do now. The greed that has overtaken our country -- apparently without any legal response to punish (or even curb) it -- along with the complicity of the Supreme Court (who HAD to have seen the future with the Citizens United decision) -- make me wonder if it's even too late to act. For the first time in my life I am pessimistic about our future. I find myself saying, like Ron of NM, what is my $50 or $100 going to do in a race that is already bought by the rich? But I think we need to fight with all our might, and with all our nickels and dimes. I don't know if Obama is THE person who can turn this around; he seems so afraid of rocking the boat. At the moment, he's the guy we've got. We need to let him know what we want. I want him to stop the politics as usual; I want him to throw a bomb. I want him to address this shift we are all seeing. Some people laugh at the term "class warfare," but if what we're observing is not class warfare, what is it? I think the people of this country are in a very different place than we were 4 years ago. I think a lot of us have gone from "it couldn't happen in the USofA" to "holy crap, it's an avalanche!" Robert Reich truly "gets it." If I were Obama, I'd have him on the phone daily. Reich seems to have his finger on the pulse of real Americans.
I think it's unwise to see the problem as Republican vs Democrat, although I can understand why people make that assessment. If Romney wins this election, a lot of Republicans are going to find out that they never were included in the grand plan; that they were encouraged for their vote, but are not of the right class to enjoy the benefits. And I think we'll see some Democrats enjoying those benefits without complaint.
If I were to sell military secrets -- even old, useless secrets -- to another country, I would be prosecuted for treason. I know it's a serious charge, but I nonetheless feel that any dishonest banker or greedy-ass millionaire who has conspired to take down our democracy should be charged accordingly. Why have we not heard of bankers going to jail for causing the banking crisis? If the people losing their houses were rich, you bet you'd see justice done.
The Occupy Movement needs to get back out into the streets in an organized, countrywide demonstration of unity around "We, the people." I think they would have twice as many supporters as last year. There are probably certain things that Obama and his official campaign staff can't say. But as long as this is still a democracy, we can.
July 14, 2012 4:47pm
Dear CHARITO381: I share your observations and comments. Please see my comment below and visit http://signon.org/sign/take-money-out-of-politics. You can copy and paste the link into your browser.
July 14, 2012 3:51pm
Under the pre-scientific pre-info-tech pre-mass-education USA federal constitution (1787) and its state copycats, our political system has never been democracy. It has been republican oligarchy, with a populist veneer: use of mass popularity-contest elections to choose the oligarchs.
The article's title speaks of 'selling' a 'democracy', but a real democracy can't readily be sold, because its policy decisions are NOT left to a small readily corruptible and worth-trying-to-corrupt oligarchy of a few all-powerful long-term officers and other politicians. Indeed a real democracy needs no career politicians at all - and no costly circus elections nor campaigns to select officers.
A real democracy does not try vainly to de-concentrate economic power while leaving political power concentrated. A real democracy widely distributes and de-concentrates actual political decision power – and thereby heeds the famed, correct and universally lauded (but universally disregarded) warning of Lord Acton (1887): 'power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'
A real democracy can be both direct and rationally deliberative. (Note John Burnheim, 'Is Democracy Possible', U.Cal. Press.) In more detail: public-policy decision-making power can be distributed to many independent teams (alias juries) of ordinary willing citizens, each team recruited for manageably short-term empowered public service in careful work on one or a few public policy proposals. For a combination of due proaction, deliberation and precaution, some teams create proposals, others decide (amend, and pass or reject) proposals, and yet others review (confirm or veto) proposals. Contra today's policy-making and legislation by personal or partisan whims, each team can be required to follow scientific-age ('decision-analytic') procedures for decision-making, including statements of problems and objectives, systematic gathering and assessing of evidence, listing and evaluative comparison of alternatives in terms of quantified objective criteria, and publishing of explicit full rationale for the team's decision.
July 15, 2012 7:39am
I agree with your post and would like to add that it is an education and branding problem that America faces. Those that cry for a true republic here in America fail to see what a true republic is. As small concentration of power, as you clearly defined. Look at who, how, and why the US Electoral College was set up. Essentially, it boils down to small states, i.e. the power holding (then) New England states (read small) and the protection of that power structure. How is this equality and representation for all?
We get to vote for representatives, sure enough but how many are blue collar working people? Do they just serve one term and go back to their REAL job? No, it is a career path and that must be stopped. One and done needs to be first and foremost on our minds when it comes to voting for an elected official. Voters can do this without the aid of Congress. For some reason they keep choosing to outsource the job. The government game is not to see how many $$ more you can eek out over what you paid in, but to have a solid, sane government that puts the needs of real people first. The idea of 'let's do this right the first time and get it done efficiently because I only have one term' will yield a much better government.
July 14, 2012 3:52pm
The central and coordinated message should be "PLUTOCRACY NO - DEMOCRACY YES!" And all should sign at: http://signon.org/sign/take-money-out-of-politics. When enough sign we will force approval of the necessary Amendment needed to take the only source of power away from the rich and powerful persons and corporations. We can level the playing field in favor of the majority of our people. We can reinstate government of the people by the people and for the people and put an end to our current government of the people by the lobbyists for the rich and powerful persons and corporations. Please see - http://signon.org/sign/take-money-out-of-politics
July 14, 2012 3:12pm
The Plutocracy is here; now. The mega-billionaires, wherever they may live, think they know how this world should be run. And they have the power to do it their way. They control banking, arms, agriculture, energy, medicine, chemicals, water, federal/state/local governments, prisons, law enforcement, etc. etc. etc. And people will have little choice than to strictly abide by their rules in order to achieve the new American Dream (food and shelter). Protesters will become America's enemy and may be subject to imprisonment (privately owned, of course) or other losses of rights. On the positive side, things might just get so miserable that a big chunk of the global population may unify and effectively push back. I'm an old-timer and I strongly believe that Fox News and its myriad progeny are responsible for enabling these powerful sociopaths and appealing to society's C-minus high school graduates, and less.
July 14, 2012 3:12pm
I respect you Mr Reich, and appreciate your mention of some Obama/Dem "flaws", but think you are indeed letting Obama/Dems off the hook.
And perhaps yourself.
Progressives well know the greater evil of Repubs. The problem is the lesser evil, Obama/Dems, now joined by acts of omission and commission in carrying us to hell. In 2013 and as we speak.
We need progressive leaders with the integrity and courage to condemn those acts of omission and commision, not just make vague reference to them in passing.
July 14, 2012 1:50pm
I agree with what Reich says, but I feel pessimistic about the future. Oh, yes, I'll do what I can, contribute what I can, and go to the polls and vote my ideals, as I've always done. But is that enough? I'm deluged by internet appeals for contributions, to the point of sheer annoyance, because I'm retired and living on Social Security and a modest pension, and if the future of our government depends on small donations from people like me, then there's really no hope. Still, I'll do what I can, and that's all anyone can do. But when I think of the billion-dollar Romney money machine, I feel a sense of despair. Will the plutocrats who will then run Washington take away my Medicare, or cut the payments to doctors so that no doctor will treat Medicare patients? Will they destroy Social Security, so that my hardworking small-business-owner son will have to work until he draws his last breath? Will they keep robbing the working Americans so they can pad the wallets of those who have a thousand times more money than they need? Will they not be satisfied until they turn this country into a third-world nation, with squatters and homeless beggars on every corner?
A lot of things need to be changed, or this country will go into permanent decline. And the first thing is the Citizens United decision by the conservative Supreme Court, which seems like a final nail in the coffin to our democratic experiment. I thought the money influence in politics was unbearable before this politically-activist ruling by the idiot majority among the nine sitting judges, but now, it seems all is lost.
I've signed petitions, written letters, made small contributions, etc. My heart problems preclude me from taking physically active roles, as in the Occupy movement. Perhaps fifty years from now, the 1% will all be living in fortified gated communities, because the natives have gotten restless, and can no longer be controlled by diversions about abortions and gay marriage and other "moral" issues, that once drew attention from the billionaires who have their hands in the pockets of those who work for a living.
July 14, 2012 3:11pm
Ron in NM, I feel as you do but,the divide in our country is getting so fixed that everything is coming to point of no return; If the middle class fails to gain ground soon, our families are going to be threatened and in America we don’t let this happen. I trust the masses will awake and see red. This attempt by the wealthy, the greedy, to control our nation will be meet with great violence. It sounds unbelievable but, a civil war will begin and I believe it is being planned for by many people as we write. I don’t believe such greed, indifference and audacity will be tolerated by the decent people of this nation. Those that side with the greedy will be eliminated. I just hope the leaders that are now being chosen are the right ones.
July 14, 2012 12:20pm
Only the programed gullible would vote for those willing to sell our democracy to the highest bidder.
But Fox "News" viewers aren't even aware that this is a problem. They believe that all the nation's problems stem from the "fact" that Obama is a socialist that spends too much.
Idiocracy, it's coming.
July 14, 2012 10:47am
The Party of the Rich (GOP = GREEDY Old Pricks) needs conservative programmable idiots to win at the ballot box.