Billionaires Now Own American Politics

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/billionaires-now-own-american-politics



Billionaires with an axe to grind, now is your time. Not since the days before a bumbling crew of would-be break-in artists set into motion the fabled Watergate scandal, leading to the first far-reaching restrictions on money in American politics, have you been so free to meddle. There is no limit to the amount of money you can give to elect your friends and allies to political office, to defeat those with whom you disagree, to shape or stunt or kill policy, and above all to influence the tone and content of political discussion in this country.

Today, politics is a rich man's game. Look no further than the 2012 elections and that season's biggest donor, 79-year-old casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. He and his wife, Miriam, shocked the political class by first giving $16.5 million in an effort to make Newt Gingrich the Republican presidential nominee. Once Gingrich exited the race, the Adelsons invested more than $30 million in electing Mitt Romney. They donated millions more to support GOP candidates running for the House and Senate, to block a pro-union measure in Michigan, and to bankroll the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other conservative stalwarts (which waged their own campaigns mostly to helpRepublican candidates for Congress). All told, the Adelsons donated $94 million during the 2012 cycle -- nearly four times the previous record set by liberal financier George Soros. And that's only the money we know about. When you add in so-called dark money, one estimate puts their total giving at closer to $150 million.

It was not one of Adelson's better bets. Romney went down in flames; the Republicans failed to retake the Senate and conceded seats in the House; and the majority of candidates backed by Adelson-funded groups lost, too. But Adelson, who oozes chutzpah as only a gambling tycoon worth $26.5 billion could, is undeterred. Politics, he told the Wall Street Journal in his first post-election interview, is like poker: "I don't cry when I lose. There's always a new hand coming up." He said he could double his 2012 giving in future elections. "I'll spend that much and more," he said. "Let's cut any ambiguity."

But simply tallying Adelson's wins and losses -- or the Koch brothers', or George Soros's, or any other mega-donors' -- misses the bigger point. What matters is that these wealthy funders were able to give so much money in the first place.

[cantbeserious]

1. Citizens United Trumps All Main Street Politics

eom

[Ikonoklast]

8. Since Money = Speech, those with the most money drown out all other voices.

Leaving the rest of us unheard.

Unless this changes, Democracy is finished in this nation.

[cantbeserious]

10. Too True - Agree Completely

eom

[hobbit709]

2. Now? They've owned it for a long time, now they don't try to hide it.

[siligut]

6. Yes, but that it has become so blatant is what is troubling

Outright lies that are believed, black is white, up is down, good is bad. They believe we are broken.

[HughBeaumont]

3. You want some perspective on how little 150 million is to Sheldon Adelson?

If your net worth is $100,000, that's $625 . . . about the average cost of a 55" HDTV.

In other words, 150 million dollars is five eights of A PERCENT of his total Wealth.

He recently got hit for $70 million in a suit with a Hong Kong businessman.

You want to know what that is to him? The cost of a DeWalt miter saw to the $100k guy.

This is what the severely undertaxed get away with, and our corporate purchased government allows it to happen. Of course, we're not all that innocent either:

"Oh, don't tax poor Sheldon Adelson! Don't punish success! What if I'M Sheldon Adelson one day? Are you going to punish me too?? What are we going to become, the Soviet Socialist States of Americur???"

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuck.

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. Excellent perspective, thank you. And definitely; even if he spent $1 billion,

he could stand to make it back etc. in more than one way. Rust never sleeps.

[rhett o rick]

4. Is it time to use the F word yet? This can only go one way.

I dont see how we can stop the momentum toward the big F, fascism, the capitalist's dream.

The only hope we have is if benevolent Elite take control of the government. I see no other successful scenario.

I can see a violent revolution as possible but that will only hasten the movement to fascism.

Help me out. Give me some hope for change.

The Revolution is awaiting the spark.

[datasuspect]

7. violent direct action is the only thing that will change this

it's the only thing the wealthy innately fear: coordinated action of the "great unwashed" vulgar mob.

you can no longer work through the established political system - it is inherently corrupt and morally bankrupt.

[L0oniX]

9. Start by not supporting anyone in the military ...and the police.

They will call out the military of us ...and they will shoot us. The only military support there should be is support for the vets. A massive tax revolt would also get attention. No taxation without representation ...they (potus and the house) do NOT represent the majority of the people of the US. There should be a way to make these rich sociopaths fear us. We are not going to vote billionaires out of office.

[byeya]

14. You got that right!

[Nye Bevan]

11. So Exhibit A is a billionaire who first attempted to buy the nomination for Gingrich,

then attempted to buy the presidency for Romney, and also attempted to buy a Republican Senate majority.

Perhaps money is not as influential in politics as people fear? To take another example, Meg Whitman outspent Jerry Brown by about 5 to 1 in her failed attempt to buy the governorship of California.

[former9thward]

13. Billionaire Penny Pritzker in Chicago gave money to Obama to start him out in politics.

It seemed to work out for her.

[byeya]

15. Where the $billions made the biggest difference is down ballot

[uponit7771]

17. +1

[Initech]

12. We need to work to overturn Citizens United NOW!!!!

Not only are these billionaires buying and influencing our elections, they have an agenda that most people in other countries would consider treason!

[Bake]

16. Not just politics. They own you. And me.

And every one of us.

Bake

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. Those that have the gold make the rules about campaign financing. And, just about everything else.

"Right here in this heart and home and fountain-head of law, this great factory where are forged those rules that create good order and compel virtue and honesty in the other communities of the land, rascality achieves its highest perfection."

"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress."

"I think I can say, and say with pride, that we have some legislatures that bring in higher prices than any in the world."

"Senator: Person who makes laws in Washington when not doing time."

Mark Twain