W.J. Astore
Seeing the True Face of U.S. Politics
At NBC News is a straightforward story, presented in a gushingly positive way, of the “campaign cash dash” of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. It’s all about Biden and Harris “hitting the trail—and donors’ wallets”—for money. It’s presented as perfectly normal, almost as laudable, an admirable example of democracy at work in America. Biden and Harris need money—what better way to get it than to beg for it from big donors, who of course want nothing in return for their “contributions,” better known as bribes.
I realize I’m stating the obvious here. The U.S. political system is throughly corrupted. What amazes me is how it’s presented in the mainstream media not only as normal but as desirable, even commendable. Here I recall watching a documentary that explained that the first duty of a newly elected member of Congress is fundraising for the next election cycle. Very quickly, you realize the donors are largely running the show, buying access and bribing officials to make or change policy as the donors see fit.
Again, this is hardly a shock; I suppose I just remain somewhat amazed how this is reported in almost gushing terms by outlets like NBC News.
A necessary part of the solution to restoring the republic is getting big money out of politics, which the Supreme Court made even more difficult to achieve with its Citizens United decision. Where corporations are citizens and money is speech, you necessarily have an oligarchy or a plutocracy. And that’s what America is.
Anyhow, here are a few excerpts from the NBC News article:
President Joe Biden is raising money again.
The commander in chief plans to accelerate his campaign cash dash after the White House paused overt political activity during debt-limit negotiations with Congress… Biden will be hitting the hustings — and donors’ wallets — harder over the next couple of weeks … The Biden re-election calendar has 20 fundraisers planned in the last half of June, most of which will be headlined by Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris …
The still-skeletal Biden campaign apparatus has a joint fundraising agreement with the DNC and all of the state parties that are allowed to tap donors for more than the $3,300 contribution limit that governs the president’s principal campaign committee.
On June 26, for example, top donors will be asked to pay $100,000 to sponsor the Harris-headlined DNC LGBTQ gala on Park Avenue in New York — a price that brings with it two “platinum” tables, passes to a VIP reception and an invitation to the photo line. A single seat at the dinner costs $1,500, and there are several giving thresholds between the top and bottom levels that are accompanied by various levels of access.
The ramp up is certain to haul in millions of dollars to support Biden and fellow Democrats, but it may not entirely put to bed the concerns of allies who worry that the debt-limit freeze on political events caused harm and that too much emphasis has been put on filling the DNC’s coffers … [O]ne longtime Democratic donor said he was “surprised” Biden has not put together a finance committee of heavyweight money-bundlers.
This donor pointed out that contributors can give hundreds of thousands of dollars to the DNC and its state affiliates while just $3,300 per donor per election — primary and general — can go to Biden under federal campaign finance limits. That is, big-dollar joint fundraising events benefiting the DNC and Biden’s campaign are orders of magnitude more lucrative for the party than the candidate.
As an aside, I’m not sure why Biden is identified as “the commander in chief.” There’s no military content to this article. “Beggar in chief” is far more accurate here. Also, I just love the way the mainstream media suggests this is like a sport, a “cash dash,” and to the victors go the spoils. Which, I suppose, is true.
It’s nice to know the DNC will profit greatly from those fundraising efforts. Small wonder the DNC still supports the Biden/Harris gravy train. Of course, there’s no suggestion in this NBC article that there’s anything wrong with this process. Indeed, Biden is being criticized for his laxness in not putting together “a finance committee of heavyweight money-bundlers.” C’mon, Joe. Show us the money!
Well, dear reader, it’s time for me to take my $100K to Park Avenue in New York. Look for me in the photo line with Kamala Harris.
Bracing Views 
Bill, I read somewhere back in the day that a Congress person spends 50% of their time in office hours fundraising! And of course, all these road trips to raise cash.
Whenever Patty Murray, The Senator for Boeing, comes back to Washington state she spends all her time schmoozing with big donors. $1,000 per plate dinners and all that rubbish.
I don’t think she ever goes to Whidby Island, her hometown of Oak Harbor, where the majority of her constituents are complaining bitterly about the increased number of F-18 flights out of Ault Feild Whidbey NAS. At all hours of the day and night. Now training Aussie F-18 pilots there as well, with a tenfold increase in noise over when these poor people moved there. She has never met with the folk on this. And has done nothing.
The cry always is – yeah but think of the money the Navy brings to the town! The sound of freedom! To which I say, OK, lets chop the Navy flights in half and give the money saved to the Oak Harbor folks. Cut out the middleman eh! No takers!
The Navy says these EA-18G’s Growlers ( howz that for a name eh!) need to be by the ocean. And yet hikers and backpackers are pissed off by these flyboys getting their jollies buzzing the mountains in the Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest – 100’s of miles inland. I digress!
As the bumper sticker says: “Its going to a great day when schools get books, and politicians have to have bake sales to raise money.”
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Why is this a problem? & why is this any different than the Trump gravy train or any other political gravy train? Politics is big business. It’s also expensive to run for any office, even something local like school board member.
Maybe I’m a cynic or maybe I’m just realistic. But this is the world in which we live. & there’s almost nothing you can do without money.
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As long as you don’t mind living in a plutocracy where you have no say, it’s not a problem at all.
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Of course I mind.
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Hence the problem. It’s a system consistent with plutocracy and moneyed corruption for both parties.
We need to change that system.
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I asked this question to someone earlier today, who is “we”?
The system isn’t going to change until the Citizen United decision by the Supreme Court in 2010 is reversed & “we” have no control over that. This Court won’t change that decision. Everyone in power is happy with this decision & the rest of us are going to have to put up with it. Sorry for being so cynical. But I’m not too optimistic about politics anymore, if I ever was.
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I understand. We the people are supposed to have the power to change this, whether through our elected representatives, through amendments, or through challenges to SCOTUS. Or maybe even through peaceful mass protests.
In theory, we have this power. In practice, we are separated into two parties, both already corrupted by money, and told we must vote for one of them.
As long as we keep voting “red” or “blue” and doing little more than that (if that), nothing will change.
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I agree.
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