Now Democrats Want Money out of Politics

Ken - I hope you sent your monologue about getting money out of politics "For Democrat Eyes Only" (below) to Stryker, Polis, Bridges, Gill, Soros, SEIU, NEA, CEA et al.

Their "blueprint" has turned campaign messaging on its head. The Republicans are just trying to co-opt this new paradigm where puppetmasters craft a candidate's message, regardless of that candidate's vision.

When McCain-Feingold was passed, it started a chain of events that has taken control of message away from candidates. It has led to the nasty, negative and untruthful ads that cover the airways. Democrat sympathizers were particularly virulent this season; they could not run on their policy ideas so the strategy was to tear down their Republican opponents. Some of it was really quite shameful and over-the-top. Voters saw through much of it.

If your solution is to stop corporate donations, then it must also apply to unions. The first step is paycheck protection so that union members proactively direct their dues toward member benefits and the PAC as they choose. Shut down the union's special status in campaign finance, then we can discuss modifications to corporate giving.

If your solution is to make all campaigns subject to public funding, that's just wrong. I pay enough of my tax dollars supporting useless programs and inefficient bureaucrats. The last thing I want to do is give my tax dollars to fund a political campaign of a candidate whom I believe would be wrong for my family's future.

BTW, your assertion that the "Democrats are the party of the people" and the "Republicans are the party of big business" belies either arrogance or ignorance. "The people" understand that it is "business" - and most specifically small business that is the engine of our economy. A political party whose policies hurt business and therefore job creation is ultimately against "the people."

Christine Burtt
Chairman
CO Republican Business Coalition
www.smallbizgop.com
303.722.9958


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From Ken Gordon, former Democrat Senate Majority Leader
www.kengordon.com
Ken@kengordon.com

For Democrat Eyes Only
The polls are just closing and I know no results. I’m hoping for the best, but regardless of tonight’s result I think our party has to engage in serious reform.

For most of the last century the Democrats were the party of the people and the Republicans were the party of big business. The Republican Party started as a movement against slavery, but as it got to be dominant, business took it under its wing and… you know the rest.

I am not anti-business. A strong business community is necessary for our welfare, jobs and prosperity. It is right for government to take business interests into consideration. Business people can and should make individual campaign contributions to candidates who share their values.

Corporations though should not be able to make unlimited campaign expenditures. This money does not come from people making a volitional decision. This money comes from customers across the political spectrum. There is essentially no limit to the money that corporations can put into politics. This money distorts the political system as does the money from other special interests.

It makes us less of a democracy.

As for my party, the Democratic Party, it turned out that we didn’t turn down business money on principle. We just didn’t get any. When the business community decided that it made sense to spend money on both major parties, we took as much as we could get…and it changed us.
It has broken our connection with the people.

It has created a society where almost no one trusts elected officials of either party.

Congressional approval ratings have fallen below 20%. People who are angry at the misuse of power and money don’t become Democrats.

They join the Tea Party.

Money is seductive. It even makes sense for a candidate making a short-term cost-benefit analysis. But hundreds of Democratic candidates making short-term benefit decisions has seriously damaged our brand. If everyone makes decisions for the short-term, in the long-term we are seriously (pick your own verb).

People will reward a party that seriously moves to reduce the influence of money in politics. They will reward a party that is honest and respectful in campaigns.

Many will say that this position is too idealistic. It is not realistic to try to reduce the influence of money in politics, and negative ads work, they will say.

But the way we finance campaigns and their negativity creates a race to the bottom that seriously hurts the system we want to lead.

Negative ads only work if by “work” you mean help to win an election. If you are interested in educating kids, protecting the environment or creating a health care safety net, negative ads do not work, because they create a toxic environment where no one can govern effectively.

If we continue this way we leave the door open for a new movement that will capture the young and the idealistic. It will be powerful, oriented towards the future, and will not be called the Democratic Party.

We can do something about this. Democrats have the right DNA. I propose a conversation.

Please forward to other Democrats.

Sincerely,
Ken Gordon
Former Colorado Senate Majority Leader