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Warren Beatty Speech It's a rare man in public office who's got the guts to go up against the broadcasters. (And it's a rare man in Hollywood who's got the guts to go up against the broadcasters.) A democracy becomes a plutocracy under these conditions. A state in which the wealthy class rules. As Mr. Madison wrote in the Federalist Papers: Quote -- "Who are to be the elected leaders of the Federal representatives? Not the rich more than the poor; not the learned more than the ignorant, nor the haughty heirs of distinguished names more than the humble sons of obscure and unpropitious fortune. The electors are to be the great body of the people of the United States." unquote. If the complete campaign costs, including primaries, of the last two cycles of all federal campaigns in '96 and '98 are combined, it comes to $3,600,000,000.00 for the four years. With complete public financing, that would cost the public about $3.50 per person per year. What a small price for the people to pay for knowing their elected representatives don't owe anything to anybody but the public and will spend their tax dollars honestly. It's estimated that $1,000 per taxpayer per year is spent on corporate welfare and pork barrel legislation. Three and a half bucks is not a lot to help to get rid of it. Almost all former members of the Senate and the House are in favor of public financing of federal campaigns. But this is in sharp contrast to the immediate interests of the incumbents. Incumbents can raise more money. They have something to sell in that system. And they have learned how to deal in that system so they don't want a change in that system. In the last election, 98% of House and Senate incumbents were re-elected. Senate incumbents raised more than twice as much as their challengers and House incumbents raised nearly five times as much. Neither Democratic candidate has advocated complete public financing, including the primaries, of all federal campaigns. Bill Bradley would not include the primaries. What's the point without the primaries? But the public will never have Democracy until it's willing to pay the bill for it. Aren't we willing to spend three and a half dollars a year to get our government back? We're told by the Republican Senator Mitch McConnell that the public is bored by this subject. In fact, if the public ever focuses on what's really happening, nothing will agitate them more. Let me quote you something from a letter by another Republican; Abraham Lincoln: "The money power preys upon the nation in times of peace and conspires against it in times of adversity. It is more despotic than monarchy. More insolent than autocracy, more selfish than bureaucracy. I see in the near future, a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. Corporations have been enthroned. An era of corruption will follow and the money power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the republic is destroyed." End of quote. If somehow I could reach back in time and bring them into the present, and Al Lowenstein could take me over to meet Eleanor Roosevelt today, we could say to her, "Mrs. Roosevelt, the party's drifting. It's enslaved by big money. It's lost its purpose. You stand for the principles that will return it to its mission. The people trust your spirit. Please run for President." |
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© Janette Rainwater 1997-2004 All rights reserved.
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