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Today, I would like to post something which I believe to be the most important goal of restoring our great nation: eliminating money from politics. Until this is accomplished, big business will continue to buy elections and influence public policy with their money.
Dylan Ratigan is this movements champion with his organization called United Republic. He is leading the charge to eliminate the legalized money laundering also known as super-PACs. The first step is to reverse the Supreme Court's sell-out decision of the landmark case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission which ruled that corporations are people. The second step is a constitutional amendment eliminating money from politics.
Dylan Ratigan is this movements champion with his organization called United Republic. He is leading the charge to eliminate the legalized money laundering also known as super-PACs. The first step is to reverse the Supreme Court's sell-out decision of the landmark case of Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission which ruled that corporations are people. The second step is a constitutional amendment eliminating money from politics.
The following is from an email sent by Ratigan to those who signed up for his newsletter. Please sign up for his newsletter and sign his petition to eliminate money from politics; this is a nonpartisan issue.
94 percent of elections in 2010 were decided by the candidate with the most money. Do you have enough money to influence legislation?
94 percent of elections in 2010 were decided by the candidate with the most money. Do you have enough money to influence legislation?
Dear Friend,
Forthe past few years, in response to the topics I speak about on my televisionshow and write about on The Huffington Post, people have asked me how theycould contribute to help fight for what I call "Truth to Power." Previously there has been no mechanism to allow people to participate in this,but it is clear that we need to form an Alliance - a formation of like-mindedindividuals fighting for the same ideals.
Withthat, let me invite you to join The Alliance to help us all fight for thetruth. It is clear that our country is divided in two - not left andright, but those who wish to change the status quo for better, and those whowish to keep it to protect their interests.
Theproblem is that the Democratic and Republican parties have lost their focus.Instead of fighting to empower the people, they are now only fighting to keeptheir own power. Only through the full engagement of the people can we changethis.
Ourvalues are based on the simple belief that opaque systems reward exploitationand that transparent ones reward altruism. That monopolies reward manipulation and exploitation - whilefair, open, rules-based competition - rewards greatness.
Weare not here to throw rocks at the system, but we are here, as a group, to facethat truth together with an eye towards solving it, not exploiting it. Weare here to force the politicians and leaders to face the truth with us.
Informing an Alliance, we are seeking to bring individuals together in effort toorganize ourselves to make these changes and create a coalition with thestrength to gird ourselves for the opposition any reformer faces.
Manyof the problems that plague our country are not new, but the information we cangather and distribute is far greater than at any point in the history of theworld. We are uniquely positioned to change these problems, with the helpof technological advancements and the many tools of communication at ourdisposal.
"Reasonobeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it."
Icannot do this alone. None of us can do this alone. However, we asa team, can speak truth to power, and choose to do so with a compassion forthose too fearful to make the same decision that you and I have made. Acting not as a force of destruction, but as a force in ending the abuse ofspecial interests and working together to solve our nation's problems.
Wehave the tools - freedom of speech, the right to vote and the choice ofhow we spend our money after taxes, combined with our individual resources oftime and talent, to give us a path forward to solve these problems. I hope this Alliance will start a freeflow of information and ideas to that end.
Thankyou for your considering investing your time and talent, and I look forward tohearing from you in the months ahead.
All my best,
Dylan Ratigan
