Are they right? Are they wrong? Many say it doesn't matter, it's an umbrella statement. And that's true enough for the stories of every person there. But I think that if there should be a focus it should be simple and straight to the point. Frankly that's what our party lacks. What we as activists lack over disillusionment with Obama and Congress. Now, we are all focused on jobs and that's a demand through and through. Yet we need a long term goal I think this is the perfect time to speak to power as activists with one other single point. One that drops in their lap out of nowhere. That they'll never see coming. What else should be at the top of our list of demands?
Publicly Funded Elections. The real option. If you're not really familiar with them please look at the link. We need mandatory funding for all federal government offices. We should guarantee that they will be allowed in any state that wants them. The kind of elections that, by law, go head to head with private funding and win fairly. Voter Owned Elections.
Best of all, now we have the bully pulpit to out-tea party the Tea Party. Perhaps its already happening. I hope so. But if like the TP we put our representative's feet to the fire it can be done. Republicans are effective because they can focus on a major idea that bludgeons their way past political obstacles. This would provide political consequences for the seats of those who want to walk in there buying an election with private money it could be a strong movement. Consequences for not running on a level playing field. And for incumbents consequences for chasing donors rather than doing your job. We only need people ready to run against them on it and the will to make it a top priority to be accomplished along with our public mood.
But we would need make it a demand now. This is the time. It needs to become a national discussion. When would be better? These elections already occur in several states and have been successful with numbers of over 60% of their politicians put in office. Through Clean Money, using matching funds for private campaigns that surpass the budget of someone running for office on this public money provided by the government. That can't be easily outspent by lobbyists and corporations and billionaires. Imagine, the government spending money for hiring it's own employees. How free market, how American. The taxpayers have been bamboozled to where we need to buy them back. Fortunately, we can get them at a volume discount.
There was even talk of an amendment that I heard of last week. GetMoneyOut.com. I think the amendment proposal itself needs a revision, but it's overall good idea to ultimately try the amendment route. The Supreme Court would have to work with it if passed. This one would take away private funding altogether. Which itself I don't quite trust although if there is a $200 limit to any and all donations, and still perhaps some more matching funds, that would be fine. And who knows, many years from now the voice of liberal freedom might only be best accomplished by having some options of private money. But maybe not. Regardless, there needs to be money available for elections with the government as a primary source. Most likely we first get laws put in place. Later we'll likely still need to install an amendment that would always provide a safety valve and an office for any qualified candidate regardless of financial status. But we can tell our party they certainly need to hammer out a way to severely limit money corruption on a great scale in Washington.
Now, however, here is the fine print. A little reality check.
Let's be clear. A shift like this in the federal government will not happen by 2012. It still may need to continue happen first in the states, but perhaps we could get multiple states every cycle to join in. It would all be good.
This may be a demand that takes at least 2 or 3 cycles. Or more. It could be more simply if our steam runs out sooner than later. And for now I'm going to assume there are too many apathetic voters out there. But starting now if a Democrat will not heed such a demand they may find a challenger who will. And now, if we back up the demand and make it dinner table talk across the country for a few years we it will likely make sense to ever more people. #OccupyWallStreetis the best starting point for demanding this we are likely to find. It is exactly about taking Wall St. out of Washington. We can bring along better candidates every cycle. Though on the other hand, I can't be sure that if it became our central rallying cry that it may be well embraced by many Democrats if it truly gives them a fighting chance. I suppose there is some chance it might happen sooner.
And we have to deal with the Supreme Court which gave us Citizens United and whose Neocon activist base of justices has been killing public funding of elections. That's a bigger problem. We need to hold the White House for at least 8 if not 12 years and the Senate as often as possible to balance out the radical right element in there now. One more neocon and any laws they dislike will simply be unconstitutional. Someone will find a way to bring them to the court. Imagine a Rick Perry clone or Michele Bachman clone holding the White House office at some time. We'll be worrying about much more than elections if we don't change DC by taking out the money by then.
Yet we have a starting point we may not have again for years. We need a couple central liberal demands to make to our party. Jobs and this reform. This does not get in the way of demanding jobs. We need jobs now. But we also need a new deal with our own party. This underscores a way to give government greater efficiency. In fact if we're really influential it could start the ball rolling on the other side too. I want them away from lobbyist and special interest money as much as our own. It's our best hope. We take back our country, our media, our economy, buy first taking back our Government.