Why do Americans always elect corporate-backed candidates to Congress?
December 252009
People always complain about the influence of "lobbyists" and corporate interests in Congress.
But actually, candidates without corporate backing usually do extremely poorly in American elections.
Americans STRONGLY prefer to elect people who have the support of corporations and lobbyists.
Why is this? Are Americans just huge hypocrites, or is there something else at work?
Why is corporate opposition usually a death sentence for a political candidacy?
Would term limits change anything? Wouldn’t the new candidates also need corporate backing to get elected?
Because those are the only choices that are offered to us. Both parties are ‘corporate owned’ and they control the elections making it almost impossible for a third party or independent candidate to run. Check the ‘committee on presidential debates’ which was created in 1988 as a response to Ross Perot’s bid for presidency. The idea that an individual who wasn’t owned by a party could run scared the crap out of the establishment so they sowed it up.
There will never be another independent who makes a real run for office. ‘committee on presidential debates’
December 25th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
We need term limits.
That point has been made crystal clear after the events of this weekend
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December 25th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Corperations back the candidate of their choice.
Corperations have the money and power.
And average joe doesn’t have the money to run.
Corperations own this country. Not the people.
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December 25th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Because people are idiots.
There’s no sorry, it’s the truth.
And yes Libs, Obama is a puppet.
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December 25th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Because 99% of the time, it is only those with corporate affiliation that have the money to run. Times are changing though and so is the will of the people. In 2010, I think we will see a complete reversal of this trend. NO career politician type will be elected.
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December 25th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
It’s costs a lot of money to run an effective campaign. Advertising, good PR people, travel expenses etc. are all part of the political process. That gives financial institutions and corporations a huge advantage.
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December 25th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
because elections cost millions of dollars
why not push for 100% public funding?
that way, there would be a limit on campaign spending
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December 25th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
err because the American people love the charismatic new outlook. corporations/lobbyists/celebrities can give you that look.
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December 25th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
Because those are the only choices that are offered to us. Both parties are ‘corporate owned’ and they control the elections making it almost impossible for a third party or independent candidate to run. Check the ‘committee on presidential debates’ which was created in 1988 as a response to Ross Perot’s bid for presidency. The idea that an individual who wasn’t owned by a party could run scared the crap out of the establishment so they sowed it up.
There will never be another independent who makes a real run for office. ‘committee on presidential debates’
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December 25th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
the media is made up of massive corporations and paid for by corporate sponsors, and money from corporations enables corporate backed candidates to campaign. no money, no ads. no ads, nobody knows who you are. nobody knows who you are, nobody votes for you.
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December 25th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
I disagree with your premise that Americans only elect corporate backed candidates to Congress since there are many ultra-liberal (aka progressive liberals) elected officials.
However nearly all corporations donate to campaign funds for both candidates; which buys advertising; which influences votes. It’s all about name recognition. Sadly very few Americans take the time to look into the records and views of all candidates.
Keep in mind all "aniti-corporation" candidates normally support gov’t control and higher taxation on corporations. They either don’t understand or choose to ignore the fact the U.S. is still a free-market economic system (at least until the liberal left destroys it). This system has made this great and it CAN solve our problems.
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December 26th, 2009 at 12:32 am
Stupidity in regards to who is important to take care of is why corporate representatives run congress. The US electorate must be the least educated and most ignorant people in the industrialized world falling for the pretenses of the corporate propaganda machine.
How about NASCAR jackets for all members of congress, emblems on their jackets showing who they really represent?
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