As we celebrate our 234th Independence Day, I think it is essential that we do some soul searching and ask ourselves some difficult questions. Is money speech or property? Can a democracy survive if corporations have unlimited spending in political campaigns while citizens are strictly limited?
It seems to me that our democracy was on life support for the last 30 years. Starting in the early 1950s, a shadow government, increasingly funded by “off the books” budgets, has subverted the Constitution (defied Congress), opposed the will of the people, and strangled young democracies in the cradle throughout the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America.
At home whole elections have been rigged and stolen. Meanwhile, many of us have lost what little faith remains in our political system. Some have succumbed to extremist groups who preach revolution. Where is the Fourth Estate? Where are journalists to educate us and provide us the necessary information to make good decisions?
The recent Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission decision that curtailed public funding for elections, defined money as speech and corporations as uber-citizens (setting no limits to corporate campaign donations) was like pulling the cord on a comatose patient (citizen government) that was increasingly ignored by negligent staff (the so-called free press).
This is no surprise. For-profit corporate media cannot ignore corporate advertising and electioneering, but have every reason to ignore us mortals.
Would you rather have government by the people and for the people or by corporations and for corporations?
Eric Teegarden
Brier
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