Friday, June 8, 2012

Why Wisconsin is the way of the future.



Governor Scott Walker survived a recall vote this past week and is the first governor to do so.  It wasn't really a surprise that Walker was successful, seeing how much money was spent and how much energy and enthusiasm the recall brought.  Frankly I would have been more surprised had Walker lost.

Many Republicans are hailing this as a significant victory and a sign of things to come.  Democrats, on the other hand, are lamenting their perceived poor efforts. Suggestions that this represents a surge in conservatism or conversely a sagging liberal spirit are incorrect.  Walker's victory is a precursor of things to come in this post-Citizens United World. 

Like it or not (and it should be not), this is the way elections will go from this point forward.  The "freedom" of corporations to give vast sums of money will be the defining force in American politics.  From here on out, it won't be about who has the best policies or solutions, it will be about who has the most money to spend.  Democrats are hardly innocent in this matter, for after promising to only use public funds in his presidential run, Obama abandoned that commitment in order to access additional cash. Yet it's hard to blame him, for in this instance taking the high road would almost surely mean leaving the Oval Office for good.

It may not seem like much now, but it's only going to get worse. As politicians continue to craft legislation that cuts taxes for wealthy citizens and corporations alike, the steady flow of money and resources upward will turn into a rushing river. Which means more and more money to finance elections for politicians that do their bidding.  It's a cyclical process really.

Wisconsin really is then is a sign of things to come, and things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better so if you're for freedom and democracy in America, you can hardly be a fan of the way this is headed. After all, America is about freedom and liberty for ALL, not just the rich and powerful.