The editorial in the Times Picayune dated 7/13/12 titled "Shine A Light On Political Donations" by Cokie and Steve Roberts was timely, but unfortunately their solution of "disclosure" is not the answer. Every one knows the major Oil Companies and the Oil Industry in general give a lot of money to elected officials to keep their obscene tax breaks but that disclosure has not had any effect on our elected officials who continue those tax breaks.
Every one knows the PAC's and Super PAC's money for certain elected officials is a clear attempt to influence elections and receive favors but voters do not use that information to determine their vote. Voters believe more in talking points than any thing else because journalists give them no help in separating fact from fiction. A great example is the republican talking point that the democratic party are the big spenders in Washington and that they are responsible for deficit spending and run away debt.
However if one would only check with the CBO they would find that the largest increase in federal spending in the past 32 years happened on Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43's watch and so did deficit spending and the national debt. In fact if those 3 republican Presidents would have balanced the federal budget as President Clinton did, deficit spending and the national debt would not be a problem today. The sad part is republicans are still using those same talking points on shows like Meet the Press and others and journalists just let it slide like it is fact and never challenge those talking points. Are we supposed to believe that journalists don't know the CBO keeps the final federal budget numbers for all to see?
In this writers opinion which I have commented on here in politidose over the past years, the only solution that is viable to stop the buying of elected officials is for elected officials to refuse any and all campaign contributions from any source and be innovative and come up with a system where contributions are not wanted. People in the news media have to step up to the plate and put the blame where it belongs, on Corporate American and their lobby, the Pacs and super Pacs who give millions of dollars to elected officials to do their bidding and elected officials who eagerly take their money and do their bidding.
The news media is partly to blame because they are silent on the real problem. They love all the money the Pacs, Corporate America and their lobby give the networks in the form of political ads. They are also like the elected officials who take the money and then do their bidding even to the point of slanting news reports either in favor or against certain political candidates and elected officials.
The beauty of elected officials to just say no thanks is that the Supreme Court has nothing to say in the matter, it would not cost the tax payers one dollar and campaign finance reform would be real. There is nothing naive in all of this. The only requirement is character, courage and the will to get it done. Maybe Cokie and Steve could be the first ones to get the ball rolling and put the blame where it belongs.
Note: See previously published comments concerning Federal Spending, Debt and Deficit Spending published herein.
