Bernie Sanders has made the way big money has come to dominate our political process a central issue of his campaign. I think his defeat by Hillary will make this urgent issue far less likely to be a top priority for the incoming president, simply because Hillary (and her Super PACs) have become so adept at using big money to her advantage. An advantage Hillary might be less inclined sacrifice for the cause of good governance, than a President Sanders would have been.
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x YouTube VideoFor some reason the audio is difficult to hear, so I’ve transcribed what Senator Sanders said so eloquently.
“We here highly resolve that these dead will not have died in vein. That this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom. And that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.” And what a profound statement made amidst all of the blood and bodies strewn around here in 1863. But it does ring true today that the fight we are still waging in this country right now, is to maintain a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
And as I’ve said numerous times in this campaign I worry about the future of democracy in America, I worry about the power of big money over our political process, when you have billionaires contibutingring hundreds of millions of dollars into the political process that is not government of the people, by the people, for the people, that is a movement toward oligarchy. And I think it’s important for every American to remember what Lincoln stated here, and to do our best to restore a vigorous democracy, where ordinary people can shape the future of our country, and not just those with a whole lot of money.
I fear Hillary taking a less rigorous approach in curbing the pernicious influence of big donors, could become one of the more important repercussions stemming from Hillary’s nomination.