CONNECT
Otherwords / Op-Ed
Published: Monday 18 June 2012
This anti-democratic ruling opened the door for unlimited sums of corporate cash to barge into our national, state, and local elections and take charge. Walker is the first ugly sprouting of that alien seed.
Wisconsin’s Alien Seed
"Scott Walker Wins Wisconsin," screamed headlines across the country after the labor-bashing incumbent governor hung onto his job in the June 5 recall election.
Well, yes...but no. Walker will get to stay in office for the rest of his term, but he didn't win the election — money did. This was a victory for the Citizens United edict issued two years ago by the Supreme Court's five-man corporatist majority. This anti-democratic ruling opened the door for unlimited sums of corporate cash to barge into our national, state, and local elections and take charge. Walker is the first ugly sprouting of that alien seed.
He sacked up some $30 million from corporate interests — nearly eight times the money that his Democratic opponent had to spend. Two-thirds of Walker's stockpile came from out of state. Bob Perry, an anti-labor, anti-government Texas tycoon, sank more than half-a-million bucks into his Wisconsin soul mate's campaign. Likewise, the far-right DeVos family pitched in with a quarter-million dollars from its Amway fortune. So did Las Vegas casino baron Sheldon Adelson, the guy who bankrolled Newt Gingrich's failed presidential bid.
Then came the insidious, secretive, "outside" campaigns that the Supremes green-lighted. Citizens United allowed corporations to dump mountains of their cash into elections. The multibillionaire, laissez-fairyland Koch brothers, for example, shoved at least $3 million behind Walker — practically all of which went to negative attacks against his opponent.
Some "victory." Honest conservatives might take cheer that Walker still clings to the governor's chair, but there can be no joy in the fact that money rules. That's the lesson of this election. And that's the real fight. To join it, go to Public Citizen's grassroots rebellion:www.democracyisforpeople.org.
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ABOUT Jim Hightower
National radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of the book, Swim Against The Current: Even A Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow, Jim Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.
7 comments on "Wisconsin’s Alien Seed"
June 18, 2012 8:47pm
The people of Wisconsin must be very stupid. I really can't believe that people are so unknowing and uncaring about politics that they would vote for the candidate that showed his face on the TV more than the other guy. Money trumps intelligence, is beyond me.
June 18, 2012 8:16pm
Only fear or humiliation will stir people into action. I don't expect things will change for the better until a scandal, driven by foreign campaign contributions comes to light.
June 18, 2012 3:53pm
Let's get over it really. The people have spoken. They want conservative policies, the end of the welfare state, including SSI and medicare. They want total deregulation. They want "The Right to Work."
Too bad corporations and the market economy can't give them that right. They're simply not needed in today's economy. By not voting for the recall, you have given your stamp of approval for what's coming. Try not to be hypocrites when the economic reaper comes for your familie's security and dumps you on the street.
June 18, 2012 1:46pm
We will not be free of the corporate influence until the citizenry demands that all federal elections are publicly financed. Only when we take the money out of the hands of the politicians will we actually be able to vote for the best persons.
June 18, 2012 1:45pm
The Citizens United edict issued two years ago by the Supreme Court's five-man corporatist majority. This anti-democratic ruling opened the door for unlimited sums of corporate cash to barge into our National, State, and Local elections and take charge.
You thought that a person had to be a resident of a State and registered to vote to have an effect on the election. WRONG.....
I am MAD as HELL about the FACT that Millionaires and Billionaires from outside of my State have more of an ability to affect the outcome of an election in my State than I do. I am going to start a Petition drive for a Federal and a State Constitutional Convention to Stop this from happening.
Because of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, from the United States of America's Supreme Court ruling, I want A Constitutional Amendment to the United States of America's Constitution Article 1, to clearly define that an Individual is a Living Breathing Member of the Homo-Sapiens Species and that Corporations, Companies, Institutions, or any kind of Organization are not Individuals and do not have the same Rights as do Living Breathing Individuals. I also want it to clearly state that only Congress has the Right and the Ability to place limits upon What, Where, When and How an individual may make Contributions to a Political Party or to an Individual running for a Political Office.
An Individual may only make a Contribution to a Political Party or Individual Political Candidate that lives or operates within the State that the Individual Contributor lives in 51% of the Year. We the People want outsiders stopped from affecting elections in our home states. The Individual making the contribution has to send it to the Federal Election Commission specifying the Political Party or the Political Candidate they want the funds to go to. The Federal Election Commission would then once a month, send the Contribution to the Political party or the Individual Political Candidate but it would be Anonymous so that neither the Political Party nor the Individual Candidate would feel an obligation to the Donor.
Political Action Committees may only advertise their Support for, or Against an Issue that they have an interest in. They MUST NEVER be permitted to be for or against an Individual Candidate or Political Party.
June 18, 2012 12:31pm
I once dated a woman that had a strong appetite for "nice" things and could be, shall we say cold blooded in her pursuit of said things. She told me of an offer that had been made to her by a paramour, a married business tycoon from some where east of the Mississippi. He had promised her his home in Colorado, one of several apparently, a new Mercedes and an expense account and all she needed to provide in return was to be available to him on his frequent visits west. She then surprised me by saying that she had turned down his offer. I asked her why and she said, "when you take their money, you're obliged to take their shit. I'd never be happy being someones bought and paid for bitch".
If you'd like to find out what it's like being someone's bought and paid for bitch, please direct your inquiries to; Mr. Scott Walker, care of the state house, Madison, Wisconsin.
June 18, 2012 1:40pm
All politicians are "bitches" of the .0005%. How else can you explain the destruction of the middle class and excessive, progressive concentration of power and wealth at the top of the society. Money talks, politicos deliver, gagged and bound, ready for slaughter, any time of the year, day or night!