In case anyone hasn’t noticed, the reality of American politics and the democracy it purports to uphold have changed quite a bit since that day almost two hundred fifty years ago when a new nation was born with the intention of giving voice in governance to the people rather than leaving that role in the hands of the aristocracy. Yes, there was a lot back then that wasn’t perfect and we have made changes for the better. The vote was given to people who didn’t own land, and then to people of color, and then to women, until it appeared that everyone had an equal input into the process of who would run the nation.
That all changed with the advent of widespread electronic media and the ability of candidates to reach huge numbers of voters at one time. No longer was the whistle stop tour an important way to meet and greet and influence voters. Suddenly, plan and implement a kick-ass PR campaign with TV ads that target the right demographic and you’ll reach every voter in town with the same message. Neat! The only problem is that TV campaigns cost money. A lot of money.
Backroom politics has always been a part of the American political scene and campaign financing has always been an issue. Deals have always been made where future votes have been traded for dollars to get elected. However, there was a time when candidates were chosen for their ability, not their pocket books. Those days are over. With the cost of a political campaign reaching astronomical proportions, only the rich can even consider running.
The mayor of New York City is the richest man in New York City. Here in California, several multi-millionaires are running for state office and backed by major political parties only because they are willing to put millions of their own dollars into efforts to assuage and satisfy their gigantic egos. If you want a piece of the pie, you better have the dough.
But here’s the real question. Does having a lot of money to plow into a campaign really make someone the best candidate for the job? If someone has spent their whole working life trying to rake in dollars and maximize profit and put competitors out of business, does that really qualify them to sit on top of a structure that must educate our youth, care for those in need, and protect human rights?
Having money, of course, is not a crime. Nor does being rich go against the potential of being a good person and doing good for others. In fact, one of my teachers, Dr. Haridas Chaudhuri, has said, “Honestly acquired and intelligently used, money is the materialized form of the spirit.” Numerous philanthropists give proof of that. But what if earning money is the only goal? How does this fit into the political system and the idea of a higher consciousness? We’ll examine this further next time as we look at the role of corporations in American politics.
peace………….ag
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