POSTED RESPONSES TO A COLUMN IN TORONTO'S GLOBE AND MAIL
The best government money can buy.
America now has only the superficial appearance of
democracy.
It is in fact a plutocracy.
______________________
Campaign finance reform is almost impossible in the U.S.
And the main reason for that assertion is that the American
Supreme Court has ruled: 1) that corporations are individuals under law; and 2)
that giving money to campaigns is a form of free speech under the Bill of
Rights.
How did that bizarre situation happen?
Year after year, appointments made to that court have moved
it further and further to the extreme right.
Just think about the position Harper is in to reshape our
Court, and you will have every reason to feel afraid for our future as a
democratic nation.
____________________________
Harper's long term strategy includes adopting something
resembling the American system of finance.
That provides a subtle way of tipping our politics
permanently towards the right wing, since money is so important to
"getting a message out," "defining an issue," and creating
"name-recognition" - among other manipulative concepts of political
marketing.
He already eliminated government support for parties -
unfairly characterizing an enlightened policy with pejorative words - and as we
can all plainly see, he works tirelessly to serve special interests in a
position to advance large sums.
