Corporations will control our democracy

Original Link: http://www.theolympian.com/2010/10/23/1413495/corporations-will-control-our.html

By JAY ELDER

Last January, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations could fund political campaigns without limit and without being identified.

Last June, Karl Rove created two 527 organizations, American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS. They are technically separate from the Republican party, do not have to reveal who gives them money and yet serve as an unlimited font of cash for the Republican party. They will enable Republicans to spend twice as much as Democrats this month in some political races.

Last month, the U.S. Senate didn’t pass Senate Bill 3528, which would have required any entity giving $1,000 or more to a political campaign to be identified. Right now, any corporation, government contractor, bailout benefactor or foreign organization can donate to U.S. political campaigns without limit, without being identified.

In a democracy, one person gets one vote. If voters don’t understand the issues, they can vote against changes their country really needs.

In the next few weeks, you will be barraged by constant, expensive, insulting, context-free political soundbites for Republicans and Democrats. If you don’t bother to spend the time to really learn about the issues — both sides — and instead vote based on these commercials, democracy really doesn’t exist.

You’ve just been bought.

After the elections, get busy writing your Congress and demand that Senate Bill 3528 be passed. Another thing to consider: Right now, a corporation is legally considered to be person. Until this absurdity is changed, corporations with their unlimited campaign funding potential, will control our democracy.