Sojourning: I agree with some of what you say, but I take issue with what seems to be a declaration that the Two Party system is what is to blame for this particular bit of corruption.
It isn't. Each party makes it's own rules up, and controls which dirty tricks they will allow their members to play on each other. Even if we had a dozen or more parties, they could (and probably would, given the nature of people vis a vis power) ALL be just as corrupt at the Big Two.
How many people really know their are other parties offered for consideration? I mean really! People may know there are other parties but where are their nationally covered, televised debates for viewing to the public? Without promotion they struggle to get funding or backing, much less acknowledgement for consideration to the voting public. Where is their 6, 8, 10 primetime televised debates? Their matched funding? Their national convention?
The 2 parties write the election rules, set the criteria. There are fees to advertise, register in each of the 50 states, campaign HQs, travel fees and venue fees. If you don't run on a Dem or Rep ticket there isn't a snowballs chance in hell for promotion..... and outsiders are NEVER welcome! More power to The Bern for his challenge to the Queen. To bad he must lie and promise what he can never deliver to be given that chance!
Citizens united nipped that in the bud quite well. Add the inability to compete with the cost of TV ads in the media and you have a rigged system!
I'm neither Dem or Rep, each has a mouthfull of rhetoric to offer with usually the same results when elected..... which is very little action on any front because to them it about winning and control, not results.
But the 2 parties have taken control, pretty much, of the media, the candidates they allow as choice by simply denying coverage, a place on the "main" debate stage, or harping on a non issue on one candidate with a spin favoring another candidate of their choice.
Corporations are NOT people, only made up of them, and citizens united was the biggest power grab to our electoral system with the worst possible outcome ever to come from the SCOTUS! On this I can agree with the Bern, but I doubt he will, or can, do much to change it!
Any media source not controlled or influenced by either of the 2 parties is hammered to the public as "fringe". In that kind of control where is their voice to find a vehicle to challenge or counter any accusations?
The system is not just basically rigged, it is TOTALLY rigged!
Edited by
Sojourning_Soul
on Sat 02/13/16 10:12 PM