Sunday, November 2, 2014

The Best Government Money Can Buy

This week I read a New York Times article about a D.C. lobbying firm that apparently exerts a great deal of control on states Attorneys General. New York Times Article  I also have a habit of reading ethics reports of various Missouri political candidates. MIssouri Ethics Commission.  Look on the page where it lists contributions over $5,000. Rex Sinquefield contributes millions of dollars, literally, to candidates.  Recently he contributed $750,000 to the campaign of Catherine Hanaway. But, don't get me wrong, these types of contributions are for candidates on both sides of the aisle. Politics these days is big money. Candidates need not go to the gambling boats, or work hard.  Just find a political sugar daddy, the Koch brothers, Rex Sinquefield or any number of the newly crowned humans,  these 'people" corporations of unlimited means. These disclosures make me sad.  Since the Citizens United case, there is no limit on political contributions.  Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.  The people, who now include corporations, with the most money can theoretically control our government.  You know how corporations are legally and officially people now.   In fact, it probably is conceivable that a person can marry a corporation. You may wonder how a marriage to a corporation is consummated, but it should be obvious to all, that corporations now screw people every day.

I do not know if elections of public officials was ever fair.  We have had political bosses, such as Boss Tweed and Tom Pendergast in our past.  You would think in today's day and age we might have come up with something better.  But, what incentive do people have to do away with obscene campaign contributions when it is those in power who want to maintain the status quo?  Peruse the ethics commission records and it may surprise you what attorneys general do with the political contributions they gather, spending it on McDonald's meals, Starbucks coffee, everyday expenses that the rest of us use our paychecks to cover.  Money is power in the political realm and at times those people who seek political office in reality seek money and power.

Our system is one of legalized bribery.  How can we condemn corrupt regimes who benefit the rich and powerful in order to receive riches and power when that is exactly what our political system rewards.  I do not know of a better way to find political candidates than the self-selection process we now have, but I can envision a better way of controlling the bribery.  We should have political contribution limits. We should have limits on campaign durations.  We should have better limits on what political contributions can fund.  We should pay more public funds to all campaigns and limit spending.

In a couple of days the political advertisements will end.  Then we get on to the task of seeing the real fruit of the contributions.   We will see the bills proposed or opposed based on the contributions received. We have a sordid system of conducting our government.  The people who would be the best and most altruistic do not have the stomach for politics and its requirement of constant campaigning and begging for campaign contributions.  In fact, in light of the legalized bribery system we have, is it any wonder that politicians' motives are generally suspect.  It disturbs me when I think about our system.  Sure, we do not have wide-scale tyranny and we are fond of saying that we have a flawed system, but it is the best system in the world.  Is that true?  And if it is true, is that any reason to stop making it better.  As long as unbridled political contributions are sought and allowed, our countries political system, and the country itself, is in danger.

5 comments:

  1. Here are Rex Sinquefield's individual contributions for 2014 to date:
    01046 03/27/2014 MISSOURI CLUB FOR GROWTH POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 3/27/2014 $973,000.00
    C031260 03/28/2014 DOOLEY FOR ST LOUIS COUNTY Jeanne C Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Self Retired 3/27/2014 $100,000.00
    C141055 04/01/2014 HANAWAY FOR GOVERNOR Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Self Retired 3/31/2014 $50,000.00
    C010265 04/25/2014 CHRISMER FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 retired 4/25/2014 $25,000.00
    C121045 04/25/2014 TEACHGREAT.ORG Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 4/24/2014 $750,000.00
    C131097 05/15/2014 GROW MISSOURI Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 5/13/2014 $1,500,000.00
    C141179 06/06/2014 ASHCROFT FOR MISSOURI Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 None Retired 6/6/2014 $25,000.00
    C121488 07/02/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 retired 6/30/2014 $100,000.00
    C071320 07/03/2014 SCHMITT FOR MISSOURI Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 7/2/2014 $250,000.00
    C131097 07/19/2014 GROW MISSOURI Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 7/18/2014 $250,000.00
    C010265 07/25/2014 CHRISMER FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 7/25/2014 $25,000.00
    C031260 07/25/2014 DOOLEY FOR ST LOUIS COUNTY Rex A Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Self Retired 7/24/2014 $50,000.00
    C061248 07/28/2014 FRIENDS OF RICK STREAM Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 7/25/2014 $100,000.00
    C031260 07/31/2014 DOOLEY FOR ST LOUIS COUNTY Rex A Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Self Retired 7/31/2014 $50,000.00
    C121488 08/05/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT Rex and Jeanne Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 retired retired 8/5/2014 $250,000.00
    C131097 09/12/2014 GROW MISSOURI Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 9/11/2014 $2,500,000.00
    C101046 09/14/2014 MISSOURI CLUB FOR GROWTH POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 9/12/2014 $1,200,000.00
    C010265 10/10/2014 CHRISMER FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 10/10/2014 $25,000.00
    C141055 10/15/2014 HANAWAY FOR GOVERNOR Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 None Retired 10/13/2014 $750,000.00
    C081145 10/15/2014 CITIZENS TO ELECT KURT SCHAEFER ATTORNEY GENERAL Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 retired retired 10/15/2014 $250,000.00
    C041029 10/16/2014 CITIZENS FOR WILL KRAUS Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retire 10/15/2014 $100,000.00
    C141374 10/16/2014 FRIENDS FOR JENNIFER FLORIDA Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut St Louis MO 65085 retired 10/14/2014 $25,000.00
    C141055 10/28/2014 HANAWAY FOR GOVERNOR Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 None Retired 10/27/2014 $10,000.00

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  2. It's why we have to end campaign contributions totally. We need to do what the UK did, years ago, and make our campaigns onlya month or two long, max, by law.

    Get the Big, Ugly Money Out of Our Election System and Government:

    https://www.facebook.com/biguglymoneyoutofusgovernment?ref=br_tf

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  3. Maybe the government is so corrupt because its loaded with scumbag attorneys from top to bottom. When the people of this country finally wake up (and they will one day) and stop electing these soulless subhumans (attorneys in case anyone was confused who I meant) this country will stay the mess I is.

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  4. You know how corporations are legally and officially people now. In fact, it probably is conceivable that a person can marry a corporation. legal case management software

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  5. Lynne,

    Your political bigotry is showing! Please mention by name the Democratic donors (Tom Steyer) that also pollute our system instead of only mentioning by name Republican donors.

    Here is a fact regarding the 2014 PAC's:
    "But in 2014, Democratic billionaires are the biggest givers, and dozens of super PACs have been the beneficiaries".

    I respect your opinion but not your bias. Your simple disclaimer" these types of contributions are for candidates on both sides of the aisle" isn't respectable.

    If you insist on identifying and listing Republican donors, in the spirit of honesty, list large donors from the opposite party.

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