JOHN CHUCKMAN COMMENT: THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN FINANCE FEEDING FRENZY HAS STARTED – REFORM NEAR IMPOSSIBLE – HARPER PLANS FOR CANADA

JOHN CHUCKMAN

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.
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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.
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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.