In the 2012 Presidential Election the total amount of money spent on election campaigns came to nearly 2 billion dollars. The vast majority of that money was donated by financial institutions, unions and major corporations.
In addition, the total amount of money spent by the candidates running for Congress amounted to another 4 billion dollars.
For more information go to Open Secrets
If the Treasury Department issued two billion dollars and gave it to the political parties based on the number of registered voters, we would be able to take the power away from the bankers and the financial elite. If the Treasury Department were to issue the money without the participation of the Federal Reserve, we could finance the elections without incurring any debt.
The elected officials would no longer need to spend so much of their time fund raising and would be able to concentrate on doing their job. The financial institutions that fund the campaigns would be silenced and the voice of the people would be heard.
Another way to reduce the cost of elections is for Congress to pass legislation that would require all radio and television stations to provide free air time. Stations that refused to comply would be required to pay hefty fines and penalties.
In our current system the candidates who raise the most money get elected. The financial institutions, unions and mega corporations fund their campaigns and are therefore able to purchase their services.
Its simple; as long as money controls the politics, we will continue to have corruption and the financial elite will continue to control the destiny of our lives and our nation.
Replies
Keith,
I believe they already have rules that provide for freedom of the airways, etc. or something like that, don't they?
Keith, some cursory forensics shows exactly where the responsibility lies for our current levels and sources of corruption. The incestuous relationship between unions, big business, and Congressional extortionists, is evident. Unions buy legislation in an unending drive to feed their insatiable greed. Businesses succumb to threats of restrictive and punitive legislation, paying tribute to bureaucracy mobsters. Agents for this carousel of avarice are the political parties, playing both ends against the middle and profiting from every transaction. While we may disagree as to the nature of the problem, where we must find common ground is in the solution. That will require considerably more space and time, but we have to tackle this subject if we are to survive.
Simply 'buying' these political positions is not what generates the interest of politicians, its the money that flows their way afterward. By putting the price of election on the heads of the people, we would simply be saving their masters the cost of getting them in these positions, and they would only serve those who grease their palms afterwords anyway. My vote, this is a real bad idea. It puts even more public money into the hands of the uber rich. Molon Labe.
Timothy, you are correct, and that's another reason to have an informed electorate. Re-electing incumbents creates a culture of constant campaigners. My own Congressman told me, the day after he was sworn in, he was told he had to start raising money for his next election--to the tune of about $3,500 a day! And what he doesn't spend on this campaign, the party takes for others.
Now there's a protection racket for you.
We need to focus on what a perpetual campaign and electoral process will look like.
As we become more & more aware of the corruption & lies involved w/ politics and govmt. in general, we each have our own ideas to add as to the path to correcting these illegalities. We are frustrated & in a hurry to set things "right". I've read that one Pres., upon leaving office, drove himself & his wife home ....w/o the Secret Service & w/o a lifetime retirement.....to return to operating the business he had previous to being elected.
I personally don't think our apathy should have ever allowed all the many, many "perks" those in govmt. have granted themselves. A leader cannot understand the economy unless he has been a worker & a "Commander-in-Chief" cannot understand how to lead the military unless he has served.Limited & equal exposure seems like a wonderful idea: "you have one hr. to state your goals"; no amt. of $$ will buy you more time. Returning to paper ballots w/ auditors watching, all SOUND good.
But as evidenced in the past election in Florida: a whole busload of delegates was "kidnapped" by the bus driver getting lost on the way to the convention just long enough for the doors to be closed on their nomination......how convenient ?! Also, I've seen a video of an ITT who publicly admitted to tampering w/ the voting machines to default every so many (forget the exact #) to OB. Did anyone DO anything but verbally protest ?
Our whole system is corrupt down to the bone & throwing money at it will not solve the problem. I personally believe in the Common Law Court & have signed up as a jurist. We have to get it right this time; LEGALLY & non-violently. But if more public action does not take place soon, civil war is what will follow because of some people's frustrations.
Bonnie--I have only one point of interest (I agree with your other points) on the CLGJ. I don't know where you live, but we already have a grand jury system in effect in Florida. I am looking at the CLGJ for our county but don't have much information. It would help to know your state, but since we already have a GJ system in place, we only have to submit a complaint with a GJ request to our State Attorney and he is compelled to call a GJ and present the case. I don't see the purpose in creating a redundancy. How is it different where you are?
Terry, I live quite rural outside of Ft. Myers. Perhaps I misunderstood, but it was MY understanding you have to have a min. of 25 jurist signed up in ea. county for the state to recognize the CLGJ...? Not sure what you meant by "redundancy" ? The CLGJ is NOT the state grand jury, but a separate court system using Common Law w/o laywers.
So we have the same state laws--and our understanding is the same: 25 jurists in each county. Getting the state to recognize the CLGJ is another matter entirely. So far, I understand, no county has recognized a CLGJ and the ones I know of who are trying, are being fought tooth and nail.
By redundancy, I question why we need two grand jury systems. I attended a TP meeting Monday evening, with our State Attorney as the main speaker (as if HE is an unbiased party!) but, the way he explained Florida grand jury law, our state grand juries are required only in cases of first degree murder, but can be activated upon request for any charges. He said, he has never heard of a grand jury being called for anything other than First Degree Murder because no one has ever asked for it. On the other hand, who knows about it's an option?
My point is, if we already have a system in place, why not use it. Like jury nullification: judges don't instruct juries as to its application, so very few take advantage.
Another point that was brought up: If you and I can just set up a CLGJ in a county, what keeps any number of other people from also setting up CLGJs? There is much to be learned before we can make any judgment of appropriateness. Thanks for bringing up the subject.
Terry, the present courts are practicing under "Admiralty Law", otherwise known as Maritime Law as signified by the gold fringe on the flag & is technically illegal on matters that pertain to actual people vs cargo (your "strawman"). I signed up for the CLGJ through the National Liberty Alliance website & it explains it thoroughly. Since most posts either repeat or overlap between these two sites, I sometimes confuse what others know on each. The CLGJ does not use (or allow) lawyers as the Constitution forbids using "titles of nobility" (Esq., etc). And the BAR stands for British Accreditation Registry so, to my understanding, they owe allegiance to the Queen (or King) of England. But as a lawyer & they will tell you it refers to the bar (or 1/2 wall) that separates the court proper from the gallery of spectators. I am absolutely "frying" my old (70 yo) brain trying to learn all this stuff ! But I could not look my children or grandchildren in the eyes if I stool idly by & watched this country go down the toilet. My political apathy or naivety are what contributed to the mess we're in. I also learned from Facebook (don't laugh) that NY is the first state to have one up & running. You know the pc used to be considered a "nerd niche", but now is recognized as a viable source of info. since all MSM is owned. I never would have believed it till I saw a post of 10.....10....reporters saying the exact same words, it's all scripted (& what they are allowed to report is controlled). The reason why it can't morph into a "free for all" is because there is one organizer for each county & when all have signed up at least 25 jurists, they get a charter from the state. You cannot just decide to start your own CLGJ.
There's so much I need to learn on this subject. Hagan Smith is holding a seminar of CLGJ at Ocala (Marion County Oath Keepers) meeting on the 18th. My wife and I leave that morning on an RV trip so we won't be there. I'll check out the NLA website. I have other information on the 'Esquire' issue, too. Probably not the best forum for some of these discussions as we have digressed from the original subject. Can you message me? Thanks.
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