HARTMANN: Our Supreme Court has now said, “unlimited money in politics.” It seems like a violation of principles of democracy. … Your thoughts on that?
CARTER: It violates the essence of what made America a great country in its political system. Now it’s just an oligarchy, with unlimited political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for president or to elect the president. And the same thing applies to governors and U.S. senators and congress members. So now we’ve just seen a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major contributors, who want and expect and sometimes get favors for themselves after the election’s over. … The incumbents, Democrats and Republicans, look upon this unlimited money as a great benefit to themselves. Somebody’s who’s already in Congress has a lot more to sell to an avid contributor than somebody who’s just a challenger.
If ever a former President has proven himself worthy of the term “elder statesman,” it’s Jimmy Carter, who without a doubt will be honored for what he accomplished after he left the White House than during his four years in office. Carter’s “retirement” has seen him endeavoring to do something that happens far too infrequently these days- he’s working to live his Christian beliefs without necessarily drawing attention to himself. Over the past 35 years, this former President has worked for peace around the world, built houses for Habitat for Humanity, and just generally been a model of Christian compassion, charity, and acceptance. (Ted Cruz could learn a thing or six from him.)
Beyond living a genuine and compassionate life based on service to others, Carter has a unique perspective on the American political system, one which happens to be spot on, even if few in the media are willing to discuss it. His take is that America is no longer a democracy, at least in the classical sense of “one man, one vote.” American politics has devolved into an oligarchy, the political version of the Golden Rule (“He who has the gold makes the rules via buying the people who make the rules.”)
That money controls our political systems isn’t exactly news. In fact, money has long been called the “mother’s milk of politics.” Politicians make no pretense of the importance of raising money, and part and parcel of a Congressman’s job (if they have any hope of re-election) is constantly raising money. It’s a very simple equation- if you don’t have money, you can’t get your message out, and you can’t win.
It’s no secret that the more tawdry fundraising realities of politics have scared away many qualified people who may have otherwise chosen to pursue public service. If it was just about public service, things might be different, but anyone who has any sort of political aspirations or desire to serve at all must first face the fact the money- usually lots of it- is the lifeblood of any political campaign.
The importance of money makes those with more of it even more important and powerful. It’s a simple fact of human nature- why would anyone (not named Bernie Sanders) raise money a little bit at a time from individual donors when they might convince a corporation or other large, deep-pocketed organizations or individuals to donate significant sums?
The truth is that American politics has been, is, and- unless things change- always will be for sale and corrupt beyond measure. To think that money is donated to a political candidate without the expectation of a quid pro quo is as ludicrous as it is naive. The question now is simple: What do we do with it? Do we continue to tolerate a “democracy” which more closely resembles an oligarchy with characteristics of a kleptocracy? Do we acquiesce to a system in which people willing to spend the money necessary to purchase government favorable to their interests get what they pay for? Or do we finally wake up to what’s happening and recognize one very simple truth?
If the 99% voted, it wouldn’t matter what the 1% did.
