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(Photo: Stephen Melkisethian/flickr/cc)
Who Won in 2016? Big Money.
Neither Clinton nor Trump took on the role of corporate mega-donors this election.
Nov 12, 2016
In one of Agatha Christie's murder mysteries, the key clue that solved the whodunit wasn't something that happened, but something that didn't -- specifically, a dog that didn't bark.
That plot fits one of the great mysteries of this year's Trump-Clinton race for president: There was no barking at the democracy-murdering power of big corporate money in our politics.
Record expenditures of at least $6.6 billion flooded into this national election, most of it from a handful of plutocratic interests blatantly buying controlling shares of the White House and Congress.
That's why a phenomenal 78 percent of the public is united in support of overturning the Supreme Court's disastrous Citizens United decision. That ruling opened the floodgates to this corrupting torrent of cash, producing public policies that profit corporations at the expense of the common good.
With so much at stake and such overwhelming public agreement for stopping this wholesale purchase of America's democracy, how odd that neither major candidate barked much at Citizens United.
Of course, what we have here is a neon example of the political cowardice created by the politics of Big Money.
Hillary Clinton relied heavily on Super PAC and Wall Street funding for her campaign. And The Donald, who started out bragging about being rich enough to self-finance his run, has in fact been backed by millions of dollars from sleazy billionaire oligarchs like casino baron Sheldon Adelson.
Rather than running on this fundamental issue of democratic power, the two top candidates ran from it. But they can't hide from it.
This is a "We the People" moment when the grassroots bipartisan majority must take charge from craven politicos -- not only barking ferociously at them, but also biting them. To join the effort, go to www.DemocracyIsForPeople.org.
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
This column was distributed by OtherWords.
Jim Hightower
Jim Hightower is a national radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of the books "Swim Against The Current: Even A Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow" (2008) and "There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos: A Work of Political Subversion" (1998). Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.
campaign financecitizens unitedcorporate powerelection 2016hillary clintonjim hightowersuper pacstrumpism
In one of Agatha Christie's murder mysteries, the key clue that solved the whodunit wasn't something that happened, but something that didn't -- specifically, a dog that didn't bark.
That plot fits one of the great mysteries of this year's Trump-Clinton race for president: There was no barking at the democracy-murdering power of big corporate money in our politics.
Record expenditures of at least $6.6 billion flooded into this national election, most of it from a handful of plutocratic interests blatantly buying controlling shares of the White House and Congress.
That's why a phenomenal 78 percent of the public is united in support of overturning the Supreme Court's disastrous Citizens United decision. That ruling opened the floodgates to this corrupting torrent of cash, producing public policies that profit corporations at the expense of the common good.
With so much at stake and such overwhelming public agreement for stopping this wholesale purchase of America's democracy, how odd that neither major candidate barked much at Citizens United.
Of course, what we have here is a neon example of the political cowardice created by the politics of Big Money.
Hillary Clinton relied heavily on Super PAC and Wall Street funding for her campaign. And The Donald, who started out bragging about being rich enough to self-finance his run, has in fact been backed by millions of dollars from sleazy billionaire oligarchs like casino baron Sheldon Adelson.
Rather than running on this fundamental issue of democratic power, the two top candidates ran from it. But they can't hide from it.
This is a "We the People" moment when the grassroots bipartisan majority must take charge from craven politicos -- not only barking ferociously at them, but also biting them. To join the effort, go to www.DemocracyIsForPeople.org.
Jim Hightower
Jim Hightower is a national radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of the books "Swim Against The Current: Even A Dead Fish Can Go With The Flow" (2008) and "There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road But Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos: A Work of Political Subversion" (1998). Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks.
In one of Agatha Christie's murder mysteries, the key clue that solved the whodunit wasn't something that happened, but something that didn't -- specifically, a dog that didn't bark.
That plot fits one of the great mysteries of this year's Trump-Clinton race for president: There was no barking at the democracy-murdering power of big corporate money in our politics.
Record expenditures of at least $6.6 billion flooded into this national election, most of it from a handful of plutocratic interests blatantly buying controlling shares of the White House and Congress.
That's why a phenomenal 78 percent of the public is united in support of overturning the Supreme Court's disastrous Citizens United decision. That ruling opened the floodgates to this corrupting torrent of cash, producing public policies that profit corporations at the expense of the common good.
With so much at stake and such overwhelming public agreement for stopping this wholesale purchase of America's democracy, how odd that neither major candidate barked much at Citizens United.
Of course, what we have here is a neon example of the political cowardice created by the politics of Big Money.
Hillary Clinton relied heavily on Super PAC and Wall Street funding for her campaign. And The Donald, who started out bragging about being rich enough to self-finance his run, has in fact been backed by millions of dollars from sleazy billionaire oligarchs like casino baron Sheldon Adelson.
Rather than running on this fundamental issue of democratic power, the two top candidates ran from it. But they can't hide from it.
This is a "We the People" moment when the grassroots bipartisan majority must take charge from craven politicos -- not only barking ferociously at them, but also biting them. To join the effort, go to www.DemocracyIsForPeople.org.
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