With the U.S. Supreme Court decision called “Citizens United,” the nation disconnected from rules that once restricted the billionaires, corporations, and political action groups from manipulating American politics and election outcomes. Today, our media and mailboxes overflow with the result: unaccountable half-truth and manipulation. This campaign trash damages the promise of representative democracy. It steamrolls the prospect of healthy debate, once a hallmark of elections. Furthermore, it denigrates the values of public service and public office-holding. Private, unaccountable, “dark” money has a stranglehold on U.S. politics and American progress.
Nationwide, just the media-purchasing costs for this year’s midterm election cycle are expected to exceed $10 billion. The world’s richest person, Elon Musk, dropped $1.5-million here in Alaska to support Ballot Measure 2, repealing Alaska’s innovative voting system. Perhaps, Elon Musk doesn’t want other states to follow Alaska’s leadership.
Campaign cash, like manna from heaven, to manipulate or inflate one’s own accomplishments—while bashing the other side with crude hyperbole? Broken!! Those now in office have done nothing to fix this broken racket. I am voting for the fresh faces who are fed-up — candidates who elevate fresh ideas and actively campaign against corruption: JKT, Bill Hill, and Mary Peltola.
Burl Sheldon