The Impotence of Elections

Paul Craig Roberts was a cabinet member of the Reagan administration. He is a remarkably clear-headed and sane writer now.

sott.net/articles/show/21736 … -Elections

If this is true, then the only solution that I see is putting them all on term limits. We need to elect the sort of people who know that they’ll never be career legislators and can be free from the enticement of re-election so that they can focus on addressing problems without the influence of the corporatists’ money.

I have no problem with term limits at all, but I think that the only real solution is campaign finance reform and laws regulating lobbying and corporate influence.

Current issue: continuing benefits after serving terms. These would also need to be removed or severely limited.

The issue won’t die though. Corporations will have just as much reason to bribe someone who serves one term as someone who serves three. As long as they are reaping large profit from the decision it will be seen a solid investment. And without being able to really know if a person is being bribed, we can still easily be duped.

Dealing with this many human beings (US Population) and entities this size (Think a global corp like Wal-Mart or McDonalds), we are long past the point of really being able to keep hold of our own government “for the people”. We’re too big. There are too many ways in the modern world to circumvent policing when it comes to things like bribes and underhanded dealings. And we’re too apathetic to really do something about it. We are distracted malcontents at best. We KNOW we’re being had by nigh everyone (Though I for some reason still think Obama really is trying) and yet what do we do? Post internet messages or show up at comedic “rally”. Aldous Huxley must be laughing.

Why is corporate funding necessary to get elected?

How about people starting their own little campaigns not to vote anyone receiving corporate donations?

If Government is inevitably going to be hijacked by evil corporations, using Government to fight corporations is futile - it will merely be used as a tool by some corporations to fight off their competitors.

Isn’t the best solution to try and give power back to the people, not through government (already compromised), but directly?