Congressional Fundraising: Worse than you think

[lostnfound]

There's a great John Oliver segment

that was eye-opening about congressional fundraising. Apparently Congress critters have to spend about four hours a day raising money -- including spending scheduled hours per day in cubicles, making cold phone calls to long lists of potential donors, like some call center employees in India. These guys are getting paid a couple hundred thousand dollars a year to do a job that's important to this country, but half of their time is spent in mindless pursuit of cash.

No wonder the system is so corrupt. I don't think I could live if I had to face that every day. And certainly it is understandable to want to minimize the disgusting pain of such a wasteful activity by going back to the most lucrative sources.

And what does it buy us?

I'm sure that there are infinite examples, but the inability of government to protect people from payday lenders is one thing it buys. http://ourfinancialsecurity.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Payday-pay-to-play-final.pdf
http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/18/pf/payday-lenders-contributions/

The republicans are the recipient of most of that cash, but the DSCC and the DCCC and Debbie Wassserman Schultz http://theslot.jezebel.com/why-is-dnc-chair-debbie-wasserman-schultz-co-sponsoring-1762193449 are all on there with significant amounts.

This issue goes to the root of our corrupt government and also happens to be a good example of something contributing to wealth inequality.

[azmom]

1. That was excellent segment.

Thank you for posting.

[lostnfound]

2. I was blown away by the fact

That congressmen are reduced to such a time-consuming, demeaning activity. Warping not only the votes but the spirits of anyone in it. Tough to keep one's self respect? And overall, isn't it a way of ensuring that the wealthier parts of society maintain disproportionate control over the government?

[azmom]

3. If they hate it so much, you would think they

would want to reform the system. But, nooooo. They are like addicts.

[ronnie624]

4. The corruption is built into the system, giving it the appearance of legitimacy.

A quasi-legal system of quid pro quo, plain and simple.

[Turn CO Blue]

5. It really chaps me much of this fundraising eventually just goes to media (TV, radio & print)

it takes millions of dollars in fundraising to run for Congress/Senate, and a huge percentage of those funds raised is effectively just transferred to media conglomerates to buy air for political ads on radio and TV. (and print too, which goes into the trash immediately.) What a waste! We need campaign finance reform.

[lostnfound]

6. Yep

Probably mostly to six companies