Unlike any time in our history, with the exception of the Civil War, we are a nation divided. And it’s destroying us.
With a milestone anniversary approaching, now is a good time to review where we are and what can be done to bring us together. Regardless of Party or ideology, we owe it to our children and the nation to consider what we can do to right the ship so we can honestly celebrate the 4th of July with hope for the future—because this much is clear—we are no longer the United States of America.
Over time, we have allowed—more than that—we have fostered a government designed to work from the top down. The Founders envisioned the opposite. “We the people” —that’s supposed to be the foundation of our government. Instead, it’s We the autocrats, We the billionaires, We the oligarchs. Money rules. And Americans hate that. Lawrence Lessig, professor at Harvard Law School, noted that unanimity: “In a time of polarized politics there is one thing that more than 90% of Americans agree on, that our government is broken because of money in politics.” The 9% or so who do like it are probably lobbyists. That’s how they and corporations, the rich and the powerful wield that power to get what they want. It’s not complicated. They pay for it. Corruption flourishes as a normal part of doing business.
It costs a fortune to run for office. Including the presidential race, over $14 billion was spent in 2020 (Center for Responsive Politics). As time goes by, the amount increases. The bribes increase. The grifting and fraud increase. And faith in American government steadily decreases. Congress represents corporations more than they do people. And we the people know it. We know money comes with strings attached. That, after all, is the point. Money is more critical to winning elections than any other variable, so much so that 90% of the time, the candidate with the most money wins (The Center for Responsive Politics). Citizens United was the final blow allowing unlimited spending and the creation of Super PACs that thrive on dark money. In the 2024 election, billionaire spending reached record levels, with over $2.6 billion going to Super PACs alone (Roosevelt Institute). Citizens United has concentrated political power in the hands of the rich which basically eliminates the voices of ordinary citizens. Public satisfaction with the current system has reached record lows and the U.S. is increasingly classified as a “flawed” democracy (The Roosevelt Institute, The Economist, Democrat Erosion Consortium, Brookings Institute). Ask anyone why they don’t vote and the response is likely to be, ‘they’re all crooks so why bother.’ Increasingly, that’s not an overstatement.
So, what can be done by we the people?
• We can contribute to and vote for candidates who refuse to take PAC money or donations from corporations.
•We can support candidates who will fight for legislation barring members of Congress, the President, Vice President and Cabinet members from trading stocks while in office.
•We can disavow Citizens United that granted corporations unlimited spending. Corporations only exist because the state allows them to; thus every power a corporation has is given to it by the state. Hawaii took one of those powers off the list. Starting next year, corporations chartered in Hawaii can no longer spend money on state and local elections. The governor has committed to signing that legislation. California, Montana (yes, Montana) and Maryland are considering similar legislation (Open Secrets.org). Ask your state candidates whether they would support similar legislation.
•We can support public financing of elections. Fourteen states already do (Open Secrets.org).
•We can empower small donors by voting for candidates who support providing matching state or federal funds. Candidates could compete and win without relying on big money and govern without having to “pay back” wealthy donors.
•We can vote for candidates who vow to put a lock on the revolving door between Congress and lobbyists. About half of retiring Senators and a third of retiring House members register as lobbyists. Former Congress members can quintuple their salary by working as lobbyists. Currently there are 18 registered lobbyists for each member of Congress. So who will your Congress member listen to—you or those who can fund their next election?
•Support candidates that support term limits for the House, Senate, and the Supreme Court. That alone will significantly reduce the influence of lobbyists and opportunities for grift and bribes.
Now, celebrating July 4th seems a bit like whistling in the dark. There is much that needs to change to bring us back to the government the Founders envisioned. But the first step is to reduce the influence of money in politics. Nothing fundamental will change unless and until that does.
Marsha Shearer is a resident of The Villages and the author of “America in Crisis: Essays on the Failed Presidency of Donald J. Trump.”