According to Huffington Post:
After the show, lobbyist Jimmy Williams, who sat on Tuesday’s MSNBC panel, wrote to Ratigan to express support for his angry tirade. “I’m proud of you,” wrote Williams in an email obtained by The Huffington Post. “Someone just texted me and said, ‘You didn’t get to say anything!’ My response: ‘I didn’t need to.'”
“Money in politics is pure, unadulterated corruption,” Williams continued. “Get rid of campaign contributions and the political parties will cease to exist because policy will prevail or politics. We have amended the US Constitution twice with regard to liquor but not once with regard to the buying and selling of our politicians. What’s wrong with this picture?”
Are Williams and Ratigan extreme?
Respond.
Were you just listening to Glenn Beck? He just now had this on the radio as you were posting this.
He is wrong and he is right.
How do we get rid of political contributions since that is a 1st Amendment right?
Also, his follow up to the rant wants the President to take care of it. “Go to the people and get rid of the “bought” Congress!” Except, of course, the President is not above the fray and should also be considered “bought” as well, in his context.
He touted having the President “get rid of Congress.” Yeah…that hasn’t worked out anywhere that’s been tried.
I would like to see how Williams would word said amendment.
They are not extreme, just frustrated. I, too, am tired by the corruption in Congress and the President. And I don’t just mean this one. BUT, and its a big BUT, how do we fix this without throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I think that the only way to fix this without stomping on rights is to hold politicians accountable and vote them out when they stray. Of course, that would mean that the populace has to pay attention in between “American Idol” and “Oprah” during non-election years and be willing to be involved in the grassroots level of politics.
I don’t see that happening. Remember, one person’s advocacy group is another’s special interest.
@Cargosquid
God forbid NO. re Beck.
What attracted me to the rant was the notion of politics being bought and sold. Sadly, I am sure this has been done since the advent of our nation, but it is just more transparent now, therefore, more sickening.
The bacteria on your cell phone doesn’t make you sick until you look at it up close under a microscope.
re Oprah vs America Idol. Oprah actually went a long way towards educating the population. Don’t sell her short. She wasn’t Jerry Springer. She got a nation of people reading. Nothing wrong with that.
American Idol is what it is. People get to vote on talent. Not knocking it at all. It is what it is. But Oprah is in a totally different league.
“Money in politics is pure, unadulterated corruption,” Amen Jimmy. This is true from the White House to the Congress, to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.
Look at just one race here. Wally Covington is buying lots of air time for slick, well-produced ads all paid for by his supporters in the development industry. Jeanine Lawson’s supporters don’t have such deep pockets and she can’t afford such advertising.
Is anyone honestly going to try to tell me this corrupt, politican-buying money is free speech? The developers are willling to pay whatever the cost to keep a vote for killing the Rural Crescent and doing whatever they want, at our expense. Stewart, Nohe, Jenkins, etc. get the same dirty money. Hundreds of thousands of dollars from an handful of corporations, versus voters who aren’t paying attention.
The Supreme Court has ruled however, that money equals free speech and that efforts to get the money in politics problem under control is unconstitutional. I disagree, but the Supremes’ ruling is final. The way around that is a constitutional amendment, which must be passed first by Congress. Maybe we’re just screwed and can’t do anything about it.
Moon cites an important problem. People don’t care enough to do anything. Voting them out would be ideal, but people are too busy watching “American Idol” and “Oprah” to pay any attention. Everyone expects the primary on August 23 to have incredibly low turnout. This is dismaying. Too many Republicans are watching FOX News, where Wally is running most of his ads, hearing him say what a great success he’s been, and not asking any questions.
Constitutional amendment on campaign finance, NO contributions from corporations, public financing of campaigns, and maybe even term limits, which I’ve been hesitant to support up to now.
The influence of money and power on politics and democracy is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad way of running a country, but it is better than any other form of government tried to date. Seriously, I really do not really have a problem with it as long as the source of the funding is open and transparent.
Political action groups like Moveon.org should have to disclose their contributors to political activities. If an organization donates money to a political party, candidate, or special interest, then the list of donors and amounts contributed by each ought to be made public. For example, the amount and distribution of political contributions by Soros, the Koch brothers should be released — no back room contributions to parties or candidates.
Public disclosure would shed light on huge contributions and make it more clear which politicians are indebted to particular donors.
I believe that we can have a democracy without having politicians bought and paid for. It is obscene that it costs millions and millions of dollars to be elected to office.
Kelly, why single out moveon.org? I would agree to disclosing contributors if it were applied across the board to all organizations that make political contributions or lobby. Is that what you are suggesting? If yes, then I agree with you.
On the other hand, where do we draw the line with these huge organizations like AARP, NRA, etc? Do we list every member or do we list extra donations?
@Moon-howler
“The bacteria on your cell phone doesn’t make you sick until you look at it up close under a microscope.”
What a GREAT comment. I am so stealing that.
Be my guest. I won’t even charge royalties. 👿
Vote every incumbent out that’s been there longer than two terms.
Only citizens can donate money to a candidate. Donations must be of public record.
Of course, that won’t stop private donations prior to the announcement of a campaign. Gifts are legal. That’s one of the reasons many don’t announce early. Let’s them get more money privately.
I have no idea how to fix the problem, I just know it is a problem.
@Cargo, I didn’t mean that scorpion/frog comment as harsh as it sounded. I was trying to be a smart @ss.
@Moon-howler
That’s ok. It wasn’t bad. I thought it was funny.