Monday, July 9, 2012

Money, Money, Money: How Unregulated Campaign Spending Is Taking Away Your Rights

As a law student, I know firsthand how murky and confusing the law can be. I also know about loopholes. However, it seems to me that Karl Rove may have once again crossed the line between what is legal and what is not.

The Citizens United decision allows unlimited corporate spending on elections.

On June 22, Karl Rove gave a speech right outside one of Romney's donor retreats. The event was hosted by Solamere Capital and he spoke to about 200 wealthy donors. By the way, this private equity firm was founded by Tagg Romney (Mitt Romney's oldest son) and Spencer Zwick, the Romney campaign's chief fundraiser. Not shady at all...

Also, it must have merely been a coincidence that the event he spoke at was not only at the same time as Romney's donor retreat, but also in the same city at an adjacent hotel. Oh yes, purely coincidental. Because, you know, it's actually illegal for Super PACs to coordinate advertising strategies for attack ads against political candidates with campaign committees. The GOP wouldn't want to do something illegal, now would they? Rove and Romney are really walking on thin ice here.



I know I have blogged about Super PACs before, but the sheer amount of money that the GOP is using to try to buy our country and buy this election disgusts me. It goes against everything that I love about this country. Unregulated and anonymous cash is being used to try to "win" America.

This worries me; not only because it is corrupt, but because voter turnout is already going to be much lower than it was in the 2008 election. People are cynical and their bank accounts have dwindled, the youth is no longer fired up, and the message of "hope" that tied together Obama's campaign in 2008 has faded. The message that the GOP and Super PACs are sending us is that our votes do not matter. They are telling us that money is everything and if you have enough of it, you can run this country.

Is that the spirit upon which this country was founded? I don't think so.

The less power the people think they have, the less they are going to want to vote. The fewer the people who are excited and go out to vote, the less our government is a true representation of the people. The less our government is a true representation of the people, the less it is a true democracy. This is a slippery slope and I think you see where I am going here.

If we let money run our elections and basically give up all the precious rights that our people have fought for, the next thing we know, we will wake up, and we will not recognize where we are living. Our basic rights will have been thrown out the window.

You know how conservatives are always saying they need to "take back their country?" Well you know what? It's high time liberals grew some balls and stood up to TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY too. We will not stand for this. We did it grassroots style in 2008 and we will do it again this year. America will not be bought.

3 comments:

  1. Nice post Ashley, I actually didn't know who Karl was and I'm glad you wrote about this. I like all the little pics you added in this too

    xoDale
    http://www.savvyspice.com/

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  2. Thanks, Dale! Yeah, Karl Rove was George W. Bush's senior advisor and chief of staff...pretty much the mastermind behind Bush, right along with Cheney. Thanks for reading!!! :)

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  3. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/al-franken/putting-an-end-to-secret_b_1676330.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

    Great Huffington Post update on the DISCLOSE Act, which would require that spending be disclosed publicly.

    Another view about how the DISCLOSE Act would limit free speech:

    http://www.sfgate.com/opinion/saunders/article/Dems-Disclose-Act-would-stifle-speech-3711523.php

    Either way, the bill failed to win a floor vote in the Senate today. Still interesting to think about it, though!

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