We can go on and on about NSA spying, wars, budget cuts, the decline of the middle class...

[reformist2]

... but nothing is going to change on any of those fronts until we get campaign finance reform, whether that be public finance of elections or mandated free airtime/publicity for candidates. It really is the "sine qua non" of reforms. Without campaign finance reform, nothing else is possible. It's the only way we're ever going to get a congress that doesn't get bribed by Big Money.

You may say that our leaders aren't all bad, as they have been making real headway when it comes to social progress, and that's true. But let's not be naïve here - the social issues don't cost the tycoons and business leaders a dime. Sadly, it's quite possible these are the bones they throw to keep us happy - pacifiers, if you will, that keep us from crying so loudly about the growing economic injustices that are all around us now.

I'm not saying we shouldn't be happy about the victories that have been achieved, but we should start focusing our energy on demanding - and getting - real economic reforms that actually redistribute wealth. When you see the wall of resistance that goes up, from both Dems and Repugs alike, then you'll know that campaign finance reform is really the #1 issue - it should have been all along.