It’s Time to Get Money Out of Politics

Bailouts. War. Unemployment. Our government is bought, and we’re angry.

by Johnny Punish

The 99 percenters, those who are at Occupy Wall Street whom I call the 99 Percent Party are screaming “Get Money Out of Politics” and the roar keeps getting louder and louder.

I mean, today, we heard the folks at Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream are joining the protest and putting their outstanding civic reputation behind it.  That’s good stuff….yes, the Ice Cream too!

Now, most mainstream media is either ignoring the 99 Percenters or dismissing them as a fade, cult, or whatever and that’s par for the course considering that their assigns are in bed with the very peeps the protestors want to be marginalized.

However, strangely, once strong advocate is Dylan Ratigan from MSNBC who’s been on this issue almost from the start.   Yes, he was an ex-Wall Street guy but he got disgusted by the inhumanity of it all many years ago and has now become an advocate for the rights of men to be free from tyranny and realized that the people in D.C. no longer represented the will of the American people.  And he has a real genuine heartfelt problem with that.   His actions and words say so…

With other intelligent young advocates and bloggers, he’s out there pushing and hanging out with protestors working to figure out a way to turn the national energy into real national action.

Here’s what they say…..

GET MONEY OUT OF POLITICS PETITION DRIVE

Now, we’re turning our anger into positive action. By signing this petition, you are joining our campaign to get money out of politics. Our politicians won’t do this. But we will. We will become an unrelenting, massive organized wave advocating a Constitutional amendment to get money out of politics.

As the petition grows, the wave grows. Email, Facebook, Tweet — GET MONEY OUT. We are using our ability to influence media outlets as a platform to force this issue to the center of the 2012 elections. Join us.

From our former Washington Lobbyist, Jimmy Williams, here is a DRAFT of our Constitutional Amendment for public debate this fall:

“No person, corporation or business entity of any type, domestic or foreign, shall be allowed to contribute money, directly or indirectly, to any candidate for Federal office or to contribute money on behalf of or opposed to any type of campaign for Federal office.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, campaign contributions to candidates for Federal office shall not constitute speech of any kind as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution or any amendment to the U. S. Constitution. Congress shall set forth a federal holiday for the purposes of voting for candidates for Federal office.”

Here is Lawrence Lessig’s DRAFT of the amendment. As always we would like your comments for debate.

“No non-citizen shall contribute money, directly or indirectly, to any candidate for Federal office. United States citizens shall be free to contribute no more than the equivalent of $100 to any federal candidate during any election cycle.

Notwithstanding the limits construed to be part of the First Amendment, Congress shall have the power to limit, but not ban, independent political expenditures, so long as such limits are content and viewpoint neutral. Congress shall set forth a federal holiday for the purposes of voting for candidates for Federal office.”

Steps are already being taken by some big names. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz urged fellow CEOs and campaign donors this week to boycott campaign contributions until the parties actually do something constructive to fight long-term fiscal concerns and the jobs crisis. Former PA Gov. Ed Rendell has said he will support it as well:

There are so many legislators who have said to me, gosh, if I could vote in secret, I could vote for your proposal Governor because I know it’s the right thing to do. But I can’t do it. The other side will raise money for it and kill me. And that’s what’s so important — it is so important to get the influence of money out of politics.

Because if you get the influence of money out of politics, we will get people who will actually vote their conscience.  And I think that’s extraordinarily important. You’re right to say it’s not the lobbyists… but it is the money that perverts the entire process…. I would be interested in Jimmy’s drafting the amendment.