Recently, all the news networks in the United States reported on the fundraising efforts of all the candidates for 2008. Barack Obama raised 25 million, 1 million short of Hillary Clinton's 26 million. This was the big story of the week. Although I am 100 percent for Barack Obama for president, I must say that money is not what makes presidential candidates. Tom Vilsack, a good man dropped out of the 2008 field, because he couldn't raise enough money. This is what our politics have come to. We are more interested in who raises how much, then who is going to do what for what issue. Campaigns are about the people, ideas, and the future of our country. They are not about money, money, and did I mention money. I propose today that all campaigns be publically financed. If we want money and influence to be taken out of our politics and be returned to the people, we can't have the system we have today. We must change our ways and say to the candidates: SAY SOMETHING. Tell us about your ideas on national security, the economy, and education. Let that be what you campaign is ALL about. It's time they start talking. Candidates are spending most of their time dialing for dollars. Money for breakfast, money for lunch, and money for dinner.
Democracy and politics isn't about money, it's about your hopes, dreams, and fears. However, our system is a game that only the rich can pay to play. Our pay to play system must end. Therefore, in accordance with this belief, I will not give one cent to campaigns. Instead my contribution to democracy will not be 2300 dollars, but volunteer hours, knocking on doors, passing out literature, and talking about the issues. I am going to draw attention to this problem. McCain-Feingold is a crock of bull. It's time we take the money. Let's rebuild democracy, one person at a time. Let's make our democracy be about what it should be: people. And to all those who say money is speech, I say: NO IT ISN'T! Money does not equal speech then only the rich can speak and the rest of us are left behind. You want to know what speech is: it's writing to the editoral board of your local paper, writing your own blog, writing and calling your elected officials, attending rallies, and VOTING! Money is the farthest thing from speech. Democracy is speech. People are speech. America is speech. So if you agree with me leave me a comment and go to www.house.gov or www.senate.gov and look up your congressmen and senators and tell them you want publically financed campaigns.
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