US election system criticised over finance rules and voting restrictions

[Newsjock]

Source: The Guardian

US campaign finance rules, which have allowed wealthy individuals to pour millions of dollars into the 2012 presidential election, have shaken public confidence in the political process, according to a report by the Global Commission on Elections, Democracy and Security.

The commission, which is headed by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan, and comprises former world leaders and Nobel prize winners, has identified a rise in "uncontrolled, undisclosed, illegal and opaque" political finance across the world as a key threat to electoral integrity, in a new report due to be launched in the UK on Friday.

The report singles out the US as an example of a country where lack of transparency and controls in political finance have left it struggling to restore the public's confidence in its elected officials to act in their interest.

The commission blamed a series of court decisions – in particular the controversial Citizens United ruling, which turned campaign finance reform on its head and spawned Super Pacs, effectively removing barriers to corporate and union spending to influence elections.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/14/us-election-campaign-finance-voting

[polichick]

1. Excellent! It's a joke that we go around telling the world how...

...to be a democracy.

Maybe such an exceptional democracy as ours should have verifiable voting and a government that's not for sale.


edit: typo

[chuckstevens]

2. Citizens United

Thank you John Roberts for the worst Supreme court ruling since Dred Scott of 1857! You must be so proud of ruining American democracy.

[defacto7]

9. hear, hear!

[elbloggoZY27]

3. It's The USA

MONEY MONEY MONEY.

The Supreme Court opened a can of worms.

[Tigress DEM]

4. REPEAL Citizens United. PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE. Corporations are entities. nt

[Proletariatprincess]

5. who are these furriners to critisize the worlds greatest democracy?

The USA has nothing to learn from anyone on any subject what-so-ever. We're number one! USA USA USA!

[defacto7]

10. oh gawd!

[harutmasikyan]

6. US election system criticised over finance rules and voting restrictions

interesting news

[99th_Monkey]

7. The US is fast becoming a rogue nation, an embarrassing international spectacle

of an uber-rich elite manipulating and abusing its citizenry own, by
stealing elections, suppressing voters, militarizing our police, brutalizing
any meaningful dissent, etc ... not to mention our US military death
machine's incessant meddling in the affairs in the Middle East.

[chknltl]

8. Could have added election fraud as well. nt

[socialindependocrat]

11. I believe congress acts in the interests of it's members..

"struggling to restore the public's confidence in its elected officials to act in their interest. "

Congress in bought
SCOTUS is bought and votes along party lines

Act in the interest of the people?
Are you shittin' me!!

Voter restrictions? Should be outlawed immediately!

If the Koch Bros buy this country it will be a long, long road back.

Who will fight for the people?

Pres Obama is the only safe way to go.

[Lugnut]

12. No mention of the hackable voting machines that were forced on us.

American citizens are pawns in a big game that we're not allowed to play.

[PSPS]

13. "and union"

The commission blamed a series of court decisions – in particular the controversial Citizens United ruling, which turned campaign finance reform on its head and spawned Super Pacs, effectively removing barriers to corporate and union spending to influence elections.

Yeah, right. Them "unions" are funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into a candidate because they know their purchased election will return their "investment" from the US treasury many thousands of times.

More of the "both sides do it" nonsense.

[Zoeisright]

14. We need global election monitors in this country.

Just like in banana republics around the world.

[marions ghost]

15. "The public's (lack of) confidence in elected officials to act in their interest..."

this is at the heart of it.

Super Pacs rule. We are pawns in their game.

Why should anyone have ANY confidence in the majority of elected officials? They are not working for us, despite all the lip service to it.

Americans see the lies.

[Denver Dave]

16. And how about candidates with Presidential Matching Funds excluded from the debate?

The Federal Election Commission has recognized Gary Johnson, Libertarian, on the ballot in 48 states and Jill Stein, Green, on the ballot in 48 states with Federal Presidential Election Campaign matching funds.

Yet the private Commission on Presidential Debates has decided that after receiving the matching funds, the only two candidates that have accepted the matching funds restrictions, will be excluded from the 2012 presidential debates. (So much for your tax dollars at work)

How can we be democratic voters when we do not know who the candidates are?

Hopefully you will make your voice heard by signing the petition and telling a few friends?

Libertarians, Greens and progressive Democrats working together:

http://www.change.org/petitions/open-up-the-2012-presidential-debates

http://openupthedebates.org/