Getting a Grip on the Good, the Bad & the Ugly
mark October 22nd, 2007
(Mark) A story came to my attention over the weekend that brings out every reason why Clean Elections as the only way forward. This Wired story spotlights two batches of questionably-motivated—and extremely-poorly-timed—political contributions. With a bid for immunity heating up the political wires, executives from Verizon and AT&T wrote some dubiously-intended checks to Senator Jay Rockefeller, the reported hand-on-the-wheel of the Senate Intelligence Committee & a key player in whether the telecoms’ collective head goes on the block for unwarranted wire-tapping
“Wait a minute,” I hear you saying, “THE Jay Rockefeller, the-richest-politico-on-the-continent Jay Rockefeller? How could anyone buy him?”
Well, that’s a great question, and it leads right to my point.
Jay Rockefeller ran one of the largest privately funded campaigns in history, $12 million fo his first Senate run. He has over $100 million personally to draw from, but he has since committed to only spend what he can raise. Here’s a note from his candidate profile:
“I will not spend one single dime of any money that I have,” he said in 2002. “So that I if I don’t raise money, I won’t spend money. I am on exactly the same playing field, so to speak, with anybody else who runs for office.”
Sounds like one of the good guys. He won’t open his own abundant wallet to trump the democratic process. It’s not public financing, but it seems like a step in the right direction anyway.
Being from one of the poorest states in the union, West Virginia, Rockefeller has consistently tried to champion his poor constituents’ cause, too. He abandoned Republican roots for Democratic ideals, and he’s been re-elected three times. Isn’t he one of the “good guys”?
About $50,000 begs the question.
“$50,000?! He’s worth millions and you’re questioning $50,000?”
Remember, Rockefeller has sworn of his own cash for electoral support. $50,000, according to a respondent included in the article, equals 2% of all the money he raised last year. So, if these two groups of executives get 2% of his consideration, time, and energy, what does that mean for his constituents? What does it mean for justice?
Public Funding, Citizen Owned Campaigns, Clean Elections: call them what you like, but they do away with this sort of back-room politics as quickly as they rid us of the questions about who’s wearing a white hat and who’s wearing black.
I don’t know if Senator Rockefeller will be swayed by the contributions. I don’t really know if his being swayed would make a difference anyway.
Still, don’t we deserve an electoral process where those questions are simply not necessary? A process where the only question is how well the Senator has served his constituents? A system where we can look at the issues rather than looking to see who is lurking behind the curtain?
You decide.
Peace,
Mark
