The American Oligarchs - What is the Cost of American Democracy? | FD Finance

[@cindyeverythang]

I worked for a local politician who genuinely cares for her community. Unfortunately, she lost the election due to financial factors. The very people she had helped refused to donate even a dime or distribute literature on her behalf. She chose not to accept money from those who wanted to control her. On Election Day, some individuals in her district were handing out literature for her opponent. When I asked them why they were supporting that candidate, they replied, "We're handing out papers because they're paying us, and you all aren't." Unfortunately, we couldn't afford to pay them.

[@yoidkldk]

Explains alot

[@susiefairfield7218]

Can see why it is we keep having the same dang ppl to choose from to vote for, for the last four decades.. the ones getting paid, get to stay .. even if they are way past their expiration date

[@danfrank1250]

Corruption runs deep in both parties and throughout all levels of government and the only way to fix it is for American to band together and get in actual true American people for American people

[@sustainablerenewableintegr8311]

Agreed... Election campaign is capital intensive. The higher the post, the more expensive it gets. The candidate with the most funds has the furthest reach to get voter's attention

[@DoesNotSniffTurtleFarts]

When i used to work as a canvasser asking for signatures, i did not meet one person who actually supported the bills or people that they were getting signatures for. These things get votes and get on the ballot because someone paid for it-not because anyone cares.

[@leoa4c]

If you think that the U.S. is a democracy, then you fell for the con. The U.S. is a corporatocracy. A system where policy is *mostly* dictated by corporate interests, not by the interests of the people. The key word here is "mostly". The bare minimum is done for societal interests, so that the passivity of the population is, by and large, maintained. Let's take, for instance, the 2nd Amendment. The 2nd Amendment assures the right to bear arms to "well regulated militias", not to individuals. However, since well regulated militias are essentially non-existent, the right of the individual must be assured instead, so that a 20 billion dollar a year consumer arms industry, not only keeps functioning, but it keeps growing. I, personally, love guns, but I love the Constitution even more, so no, I cannot be accused of being anti-2nd Amendment. Roughly, between 15 and 20 *MILLION* rounds of ammunition are bought every... single... day. As far as the guns themselves, there are AR's, AK's, HK's, FN's, the whole freaking lot for sale. There are new uppers, new lowers, new triggers, new bolts, new sights, new barrels, the combinations are virtually infinite. All there for sale, all there to satisfy the arms industry, *NOT* to satisfy any 2nd Amendment rights. When companies or corporations are allowed to contribute to political campaigns, it is only logical to expect the respective elected officials to do everything in their power to protect said companies or corporations. This business-governmental cycle inevitably becomes a vicious one where corporations gain more and more political power. As such, they are, for instance, able to set prices for pharmaceutical products way, way higher than any other supposedly democratic country. They are able to create health crisis by and for their own products. When a potent opioid like oxycodone is prescribed for something that, in any other developed country would be treated with a low dosage of simple, non-addictive paracetamol, something is very, very wrong. Clearly, the interests of the individual are not being met. The interests of the companies selling the addictive substance, on the other hand, indeed are.

[@luguy8347]

Spot on. Scary. Feels hopeless.

[@billbradley5296]

💯

[@bigad5494]

Damn bruh you cooking

[@epicprince8196]

we need to update the constitution. In 1776 things were a little different

[@bull.dog.]

Company + government = fascism. USSA is fascist oligarchy. Democracy is a term for simple people to control them.

[@lars277]

We have not had a representative form of democracy since 1996. We have a donor owned plutocracy. We are quickly moving to an authoritarian led form of fascism.

[@zarirdadachanji1732]

What the world needs is NOT Representative but a Participatory Democracy.

[@catalhuyuk7]

And here you are.

[@WheelerRickRambles]

Totally bass-akwards… I recently saw - 11/2/24 - a figure…it was $450 MILLION+ spent in Pennsylvania for POTUS election. If that number is truly close…what a joke! Children education, food insecurity, homeless needs could be wiped out with that type of cash.

[@Dudemanbananna]

That's a bit hopeful 450 million isn't that much in reality however you're not wrong that it could've been used more appropriately

[@batchelerjr]

Stop complaining and do something and take some action I'm tired of everyone complaining like myself and doing nothing because guess what nothing will change without what Thomas Jefferson said.

[@twhite8308]

What a nightmare. Life is too short to allow oligarchs to waste our time, resources and 🌎

[@batchelerjr]

@twhite8308 You're going to have to pry that money out of their cold dead hands. You have no idea how they got there and they got there with total viciousness. Whether you want to believe they did it through legal means or not

[@msmelpersonality7]

And yet nothing is done if anyone’s guilty it’s “god fearing republicans”

[@Chaser4906]

its gonna get alot worse. when the gov is for sale nothing good will come out of it particularly for the working people.

[@CoD420NiNjA]

How do you think we got here :(

[@vickijohnson9367]

Our government has already been sold. Our legal industry in government already sold us.

[@Leland-du1xf]

oh its going down....just gotta be sharp and not let it stay down. self governance

[@KrisBlackAraptus]

I agree completely

[@thasoop]

@@CoD420NiNjAyour people or my people?

[@janetbusener6326]

This is the best documentary on politics. Most people don't understand the reasons why politicians' hands are tied to the wrong things. 😮😮

[@catalhuyuk7]

Unless the politician is the absolute ringleader. This is what is happening in the USA right now.

[@jannagerber4374]

All contributions by corporations to any political committee or for any political purpose should be forbidden by law Teddy Roosevelt He said that corporate money mixed with politics would be the downfall of our country. That there is no enemy or more dangerous to the government than the corruption caused by money from corporations. Remember he did leave the Republican Party and started the progressive party.

[@whtwht]

Weird but it seems so straightforward to me

[@surfbum8166]

Citizens united needs to be repealed

[@QueenOfMyCastle00]

All this money being thrown around could actually be helping real people but nope

[@justhomas83]

This is why i don't believe in anything

[@justhomas83]

Because nothing changes

[@redhead6987-th1kw]

TERM LIMITS AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM ONLY WAY OUT

[@techcafe0]

and most importantly, repeal Citizens United decision which, as Obama warned: would open the flood gates to special interests and foreign corporations

[@moniquec7722]

The problem is not democracy, the problem is the erosion of democracy. It is now an oligarchy. Democracy is power to the people but it cannot survive in a society with high inequality. Beware any site called 'Finance' that blames democracy. It would be very convenient for the rich oligarchs if the people could be brainwashed to give up the remnants of democracy. The problem is neoliberism and free- market fundamentalism. The solution is to tax the billionaires out of existence, fix the guardrails of democracy, regulate the corporations, and crack down on corruption.

[@Dale-hj2ez]

America is a republic not a democracy.

[@Supreme36074]

Since FDR created the New Deal which did tax them at a high rate & created most of the social programs Americans benefit from today the Republicans & Corporations have spent the time chipping away at those tax rates , which were 90% or better at times to the present 20%. With the New Deal we became the super power, the middle class was built , highways were built , welfare implementation so kids weren’t in the streets living like stray dogs. Children’s labor was outlawed & the 40 hours work week implemented. & the companies & CEO still became wealthy, FDR just made sure they were doing what was good for the Country while being the main beneficiary of the Country. In short I agree with most of what you said.

[@we-will-see-sunday]

there is no such thing as democracy.

[@hsavage2899]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This must be talked about more! Spread far and wide.

[@Spiral.Dynamics]

Anyone who pays attention to politics today would benefit from watching this well done documentary.

[@Altruisten]

As a Swede in Europa I cant close my yes to the historical parallell to Roman Imperia. Greed will always be the factor that make countrys to go under. Its amazing that the most wealthy country dont give their citizens free health care. Here in the "socialistic nightmare" of Sweden the healt care cost is maximum 200 USD/year and medicine cost 300. All parties agree on this. Health is not a question about what you can pay. Heart surgery and cancer treatment included. Cicero said 2000 years ago:" Avarice, in old age, is foolish; for what can be more absurd than to increase our provisions for the road the nearer we approach to our journey’s end?"

[@royharper2003]

do you know how much for healtchcare you actually pay in the form of taxes?

[@Altruisten]

@@royharper2003 Yes I do

[@navajojohn9448]

Money buys actions. The words donation and political contributions should be replaced with bribes if the amount is over $250.00.

[@sperosversis3678]

Bribes? No, it's straight up bought and purchased.

[@justhomas83]

Robbery stiff arm

[@justhomas83]

They steal from us everyday for community service or political greed

[@justhomas83]

It's all a racketeering scheme. It's all a scam, everything about America is corporate greed

[@xxstefanmxx]

Some people are so dumb they will gladly work towards their own demise as long as they are paid...

[@seandouglas8655]

The amount of money spent on elections and how it’s bragged about on tv it’s sickening. The election money could literally fix several of our societal problems

[@skylaindigoink2013]

This rich nightmare just continues!!!!

[@michalkosmita5194]

no no nightmate, that just theatre play for poor :D

[@justhomas83]

It's time for us to stand up for ourselves. This system is a corrupt machine.

[@Rashiedamichelle]

Those companies trash every state they make money off and then buy homes in places like Wyoming and sign cute little documents so nobody can touch their pretty scenery around said properties away from the dumpster fires they contribute to 😂

[@x_x-xx6ek]

Trump will put America out of its misery. Out-in-the-open and celebrated fascism; the last gasp of a dying nation.

[@ThePathOfLeastResistanc]

lol u think?

[@sustainablerenewableintegr8311]

Communists always hate fascists 🙃

[@mrhammerzz1643]

Capitalism leads to Facism unchecked and unbalanced so yeah.

[@mhandireowen]

Thanks

[@kokolanza7543]

Infuriating. Thanks for important information, well presented. However, I disagree with the statement at 26:55 that "Republicans are more concerned with protecting People's First Amendment rights and they are less concerned with the potential for corruption." Republicans have been owned by big business since the Gilded Age (say, since 1896). Their position in favor of big money controlling elections is not due to First Amendment concerns.

[@marysmith2215]

There is no good reason for campaign financing. There could be a Federal law requiring FCC licensed TV stations to air and stream on the Internet for free intelligent discussions of the issues by candidates for each particular office over a two-mon5h period before election day.

[@sustainablerenewableintegr8311]

Podcasts have been doing that already

[@bull.dog.]

Corporation + government = fascism. USSA is fascist oligarchy. Democracy is a term for simple people to control them.

[@G-Man-half-life]

The United States does not have oligarchs only Russia, China, Cuba, and terrorists North Korea have oligarchs.

[@admincxs1670]

Yep 🫡

[@PamWILKINSON-t8u]

Democratic Republic. There is a difference.

[@we-will-see-sunday]

BINGO! Only = is the oligarchs perish just like us

[@bull.dog.]

@SamSung-w2e2i correct! And power belongs to people, not to a single person, or a small group of people. A collective of people in society will keep in check any oligarchs or politicians, when people realize and exercise their true power

[@johndunning9]

Wasn't the the whole concept of government and Constitution based on the people serving their country, and NOT as a job? Government officials should wear a jacket with all their BIG donor's logos on it. That way everyone knows who their puppet master is. It would help if they DON'T have dual Citizenships and NOT foreign born. There are so many things broken with the system by design it's going to take a miracle to fix.

[@whtwht]

CIA watching

[@techcafe0]

"free speech for me but not for thee" say America's plutocrats

[@justhomas83]

Pay your life subscription or no free speech 💬

[@justhomas83]

This is where we are at in the country

[@monicasaturn2514]

Now wallstreet will be sitting right in the Whitehouse

[@Cynthia-fx4we]

Wall Street has been sitting in the White House longer than we know. Our leaders are allowing some gangster behavior on Wall Street. AIG received a government loan in 2008 to prevent a financial crisis. The bailout package totaled $182 billion. They caused damage to the global economy. What were they doing that they had no business doing? So many businesses were on the list of bailouts in 2008. The government will eventually have to do another bailout. These greedy people will never stop.

[@whtwht]

And Tech bros

[@bicyclist2]

Unfortunately we don't live in a democracy. We live in a oligarchy, plutocracy, and a fascists state. And have for many decades. The US is completely bankrupt. I highly encourage everyone to watch the documentaries, America: Freedom to Fascism, The Corporation, Confessions of a Economic Hitman, and Zeitgeist Addendum. Thank you.

[@publicenemy1238]

Facts, as long as Americans cannot vote on bills and legislation. We will always live under communism

[@JossinJax]

Only 4 min in and already the editing is very well executed.

[@TrustGodDaily]

We could cross the border i nto mexico and buy the same medications prescribed in the US by our doctors with the same manufacturer that cost about the cost of a co pay in the us , without the hundreds spent monthly on insurance .. so meds in us crazy high ... same companies charge much less in othrr countries

[@freemindthinkerezrapound5071]

the oligarchs nominate the candidates the masses of the dumb herd elect their nominees and stupidly think they have the power to change the system 😂

[@Dale-hj2ez]

America is not a democracy! America is a republic!!! In democracy the people elect leaders and those leaders pass laws. In a republic the people elect representatives, but the representatives are greatly limited by the constitution in their law making abilities.

[@SteveninTune]

Thx. Here is a cookie 🍪

[@PamWILKINSON-t8u]

A democratic Republic. The Republic protects the people.

[@veritas41photo]

Ben Franklin said (after the Constitutional Convention of 1787) ... (paraphrasing) ... "We have a Republic... if you can keep it".

[@jsadecki1]

Lol it's only officially a republic, its really oligarchy, the top 3 richest people are currently running your country pmsl, how is that republic over oligarchy there are often over 1,000 registered pharmaceutical lobbyists in Washington, D.C., representing various companies and industry groups

[@brucepoole8552]

Your splitting hairs, stick to the subject, get out of the weeds

[@tylerthayer6673]

People!! Start local!! Start grass roots movement in your town!! We ALL have to start making real actions!! Dont let this discourage you! Remember, we are only 6 people away from the etire world.

[@rigelb9025]

As they say, ''actions speak louder than words''. And money talks faster than speech.

[@marymcdermott9581]

Americans have to fight for Democracy....use their power to pick decent people to represent them

[@niningsetia4213]

😮😢it's calm doWn I'm here to be ur previous Ori Tembem mena U r the jlo 😂 Get up and sit down as comrade Muhamad in hell for his deception against u as victorious family Remember, it's Let me be clear u r it's on pregnancy I'm it's who stay in his and bring my kitchen stuffs and janitor stuff to make sure my son welltkc by the world NOBODY scold HIM Because he is my door to heaven Okay'

[@niningsetia4213]

Its' is ita

[@GhmhhmgBgvgh]

United Oligarchy - we're just here for the ride..until we're not.

[@justhomas83]

If we could just do something else.

[@catalhuyuk7]

“If anything in this life is certain, if history has taught us anything, it's that you can kill anyone.” Michael Corlene

[@maxrobespierre9176]

What “democracy” are you referring to? We are owned by the oligarchs, and they direct our laws and representatives.

[@viennois0123]

Being an European, that US binary system doesn't at all feel like democracy. Where in that system do actual people have an actual say? On top of that you put gerimandering and other bs. America, as a Beacon of hope for humanity, just went for the money for their own oligarchs. Maybe, others will not agree...

[@PamWILKINSON-t8u]

We still are to most people. We don't get into the facts of politicians enough. Matter what they say they are for, check the donors, lobbiests, and other money coming to each one. Check their votes. Know if they are hypocritical or not. Most are very much hypocritical. If someone gets rich in office they are crooked.

[@kr-700H]

Make some room izrael and amerika will not last

[@myob214]

If you are a teacher, please consider showing videos like this to as many students as possible.

[@agritech802]

Fantastic documentary, the two party system in America is not great either, you need to have more parties so that voters can choose between more ideologies and policies on the left and right economically and socially

[@monicasaturn2514]

Oligarchy

[@gaijinbaka]

Gawd. It’s like a Mary Kay MLM scam.

[@sashaz7693]

Campaign money is a huge problem 😬.

[@tomhermens7698]

Its time to regulate corporate activities and appoint ombudsmen to make them stick to the rules and/or issue penalties.

[@billbradley5296]

They attempted to make a legislative ruling so that corporations had to disclose the dollar amount "donated" to the political nominee.... it was vetoed unsurprisingly 😮

[@catpaladin1]

So many loopholes to crawl through as well. Melania getting $40 million for a documentary on her life from Bezo’a Amazon? Most documentaries can be made for $2-4 million. (Edit) what’s holding up trump’s truth social? Take those trades apart and you will likely find money laundering from foreign countries. he sets up go fund me pages and maybe 5 percent of the money goes to the cause. Where does the rest go? He is building a Trump tower in Saudi Arabia. How much favor can that buy the Saudi’s. Then there’s the millions donated to Trump’s inauguration- a million at a time.

[@jawadahmadkhan8243]

Diabetes insulin cost only 3.25 Dollars in Pakistan.

[@TwesehozanaChaste]

in Rwanda it costs only $0.3

[@michalkosmita5194]

My medicine cost 5 Dollars but the State pay .... 95 dollars :P

[@timritenour8900]

Go there then

[@billbradley5296]

​@michalkosmita5194 that's because the government don't have regulations on the pricing. Medicaid just pays whatever it's said price footing the bill and passing it on to the people through taxation. Thank big pharma 4 that one

[@billbradley5296]

​@@timritenour8900maybe if you had diabetes and no medical coverage you have a change in heart with your worthless comment 🤔

[@Leland-du1xf]

its not american democracy, its remnant and evolution of the british empire and its globalism

[@mamatrain100]

The best democracy money can buy. Campaign finance reform is our only hope.

[@DonovanSquad23]

I have said since I was about 20 years old. You want my vote? All the millions of dollars you raise donate it to a VA, children’s cancer or a homeless shelter. The amount of money in politics is shameful! If someone decide to go against the system? I would do everything I can to get them elected! Our system has been broken for a long time!

[@Tevi_Kan]

🇹🇴

[@navajojohn9448]

I was taught a long time ago a corporation was treated as the equivalent of one person.

[@cbbcbb6803]

But sometimes, a really rich spoiled person that knows how to buy his way in life.

[@rigelb9025]

They are known as a 'legal person', when they are neither a person, nor probably are they legal. But I guess 'legal' applies to those who can afford it.

[@motorphina]

Yep and when they officially deemed corporations as individuals it was the last nail in the coffin. By then, it was already too late.....

[@magoollaful]

Yes, "one person", who - unlike you - can establish a non-profit PAC or three and donate unlimited amounts of money to it, which can then be donated to political campaigns at far higher amounts than a one individual is allowed to.

[@gmw3083]

You know the o beez person who gets to use two seats on the plane for the price of one? The corporate citizen gets the whole plane and the airport too

[@rainerader1182]

It started when corporations became people. A bunch more pro corporation rules, regulations, SC decisions and the citizens united. By then, it should have been clear the hugest issue in society is inequality and that is by design. This is a form of fascism, because they have outsized power.

[@savindaillangasinghe3346]

truth comes to light

[@sirwilliams3885]

The sad part is they have the best intentions and end up as corrupt as all of them

[@vsrump]

Can we stop the faucet? How can we stop GREED?

[@whtwht]

No and expect deteriorating of society

[@sanja_8553]

Thanks for sharing. Very well made!

[@randyjohnson9760]

It is all bought and paid for, and because of that the people‘s interest are not served and this is why your family members and yourselves in the future are about to have their Social Security cut and that is just the beginning it will be a small cut leading to substantial cuts in that entire fund is going to be plundered to lower corporate taxes and pay for Tax cuts for rich people and this line of taking more and more from regular people will continue. Keep in mind the military budget which has massive issues just putting a simple audit together is $1 trillion a year and there’s not even a whisper about cutting any of thatbecause there’s wealthy people involved in that and they pay for campaign contributions the regular person doesn’t so they take from us😊

[@dominionscave4752]

It seems that one of the major problems, if not the major problem of the American political system is an absence of a separation of the state from the process of administration of the judicial and electoral systems. It seems too much of government in the US has direct control and influence over the system that elects them. That is, a conflict of interest. Presidents and politicians should not be the ones, or be able to appoint or influence the appointment of judges that favour their interests, ideology or dogma. Politicians and their parties should not be the ones who set electoral boundaries, legislate electoral laws, sit on investigative committees, or administer or influence the process of how elections are conducted and the processes of counting votes. Independent, non partisan, non government agencies guided by a code of conduct and laws with oversight that ensure no political or other tampering or interference seems to be absent from the US electoral political system. Presidents should not be given powers of clemency to convicted criminals (more than likely allies, family, and friends) and pardon them of crimes. It seems that the oligarchy in the US is not just a matter of the influence of money, but that the oligarchs have got their hold on the US political system by getting their toe in the door of a weak system, and then exploiting those weaknesses to its flawed extremes in an absence of a separation of powers of government mentioned above.

[@rickghaly]

This is top notch journalism. Keep up the great work. Very well done. I will share this.

[@BRegan-sx7sl]

I loved aoc’s documentary that showed against all odds how she was able to get into office. We need more like her because she doesn’t take corporate money

[@LuciaBeans]

One thing I didn't hear about PACs- at the huge "blue" health insurance corporation I work at, they pressure employees to donate to their PAC during the election cycle. If every employee donated only $5, that would be about a half a million dollars just from employees.

[@IveraHerring]

The government has to step in , to help the working poor , because companies refused to pay a living wage, god bless American greed

[@isabellemogadam]

So many thanks for this eye opening video.

[@bartech101]

Making politics should be prosecuted. There should be no rulers, only simple rules.

[@serenesrn3827]

Rich companies lobbying should be banned.

[@frankcolumbus3330]

THERE WILL BE A BIG PRICE TO PAY.

[@tmoneyt2416]

The whole system needs to be washed away and built from the ground up

[@jesse-blueforrest2953]

As George Washington warn the American people in his farewell address about the political party system, has now been fulfilled!

[@ІринаЛапчук-м9ю]

А гадам кінець світу проти нас

[@netizencapet]

Idea: every voting age citizen gets federal account w/ ≈$600/yr w/ set amounts reserved for prez, senate, congress, & state elections that can only only b sent to registered candidates, who are only allowed to use money recieved from those accounts. State/Federal websites wld be forced to feature text content on policy Qs from all registered candidates w/ certain # of donations, etc.

[@staceeallnutt2334]

Square miles = 55,243. DC, Maryland, and Virginia 51,325. Great Britain

[@OnTheLine_yt]

7:47 wtf kinda statement..

[@chrisadams3228]

Whose pocket does all this money go into?

[@yliannamarie403]

As a resident of MN CD8, i will say that Ms. Nystrom never stood a chance at representing our district. Regardless of the fundraising.

[@brucepoole8552]

Why?

[@christopherkettler8727]

Invoation is always a bs excuse

[@viennois0123]

For those who feel they have been dropped from relevance, do worry. Then again, the people like you ask hard questions. We all have the hope, that there will be justice.

[@masteryap3169]

Great journalism, thank you F D Finance! I know sometimes the "truth hurts " but this was too "damn" depressing. The game is rigged with lobbyist and corporate greed, what's a Liberal Democrat to do!

[@timritenour8900]

Well for starters we are not a democracy and never have been 50 states to federalist constitution republic

[@magoollaful]

It's a republic with a democratic system of government. At least, that's what it was intended to be. Go read a book.

[@Dale-hj2ez]

@@magoollafulinaccurate. We are a Republic, with a democratic process for electing representatives only. Democracy is mob rule Republic has constitutional limits

[@jamesmorton7881]

ASK T rump ? VOTE for change, march on Washington JAN 3 rd 2025. STOP the COUP. Congress do your DUTY per the 14 th Ammendment. See yah in DC Donnie. ❤❤

[@Megatonaxe]

I'm sure this KZbin comment will change everything

[@johnng5016]

Watch Andrew Yang’s TED talk on how to fix the election system

[@whiporwilllooms9075]

If you aren’t aware of the corruption then you’re not paying attention. What do we do about it?!

[@michaelkoester2333]

Currency should not be behind anyone getting elected to any position in a Democratic Representative Republic. It should be about what policies they are advocating for, their true voting record and policies they push forward being easily and publicly available, showing if they actually do what they said they would do when running for a position! There needs to be a way to do this WITHOUT the involvement of Donors, PAC's and Lobbyists using Currency, only what they say and do! There should be a way to be able to be presented to the public, openly and extensively without needing to be funded in any way!

[@HOLYPARISHOFDOOM]

The best "democracy" money can buy.

[@christopherkettler8727]

Then they buy stock in those pharma companies after taking their money to let them charge more

[@riseoblivion237]

Politicians: I don't even know if gw is real :) Typical.

[@joelastre4864]

The fraud and corruption, just on the media side alone must be insane. The ad spend numbers they are talking about are MULTIPLES of paying for SUPER BOWL ads. There is no way these amounts could possibly be legitimate advertising costs. And there are tons of people out there (on both sides) who must be redirecting and personally pocketing a ton of this cash.

[@tomd1434]

This is such BS! All I need to see is where someone stands on the issues which could be put online and/or in the paper and one interview and I can make up my mind. Should barely cost anything.

[@ArijitBandyopadhyayCA]

Very good documentary. HOPE WE CAN CHANGE QUICK

[@Bambihunter1971]

Just like in professional sports, they need to put a spending limit on campaigns at each level. Obviously a mayoral campaign isn't going to cost as much as a gubernatorial race which of course isn't going to cost as much as a presidential race. But, put a hard figure on it for the candidates (maybe one that can slowly rise with the rate of inflation). Only allow "official" campaigns to feature the candidates. 1st amendment rights wouldn't be affected because people could still advertise, just not show or feature either candidate. I'm sure it would meet opposition and I'm sure it wouldn't fix it all, but that sounds like a good place to start.

[@am785abc]

What is the cost? Most of the taxes you pay go on the defense department, healthcare and education and welfare are left uncovered

[@Maria-t2x7s]

A o jakiej „ demokracji „ jest mowa , .?

[@itsjustchris92]

this is why you dont fight to defend the country anymore, whats the point when you have no stake in society?

[@lifeasmakaylagermoni]

American WAKE UP 😢

[@sustainablerenewableintegr8311]

Lol! Both sides are guilty of doing the things you're accusing one-sidedly 🤣

[@frankcolumbus3330]

CORRUPTION TO THE BONE, AND THEY MAKE THE LAWS.

[@Samy-c8o]

Sorry quynster 😊😊😊

[@HwaiyR1]

Luigi time

[@BernardMorrey]

You have to ask " what is a democracy first?" You vote people to represent you who then go and make legislation for the 1% to the detriment of the 99%. There is a word for that. OLIGARCHY therefore America is not a democracy and it is its voters who are to blame

[@belle190]

I’m literally dying right now…. There is not and will never be a politician who will do it cause it feels right or for the better. It’s about the money… That’s it. That’s why the world is where it is… It will never change only gets worse…. We will be history our grandchildren or great grandchildren google about.

[@EuClid-v5e]

Euclides. 🙂👍👍👍💯🇺🇲🦅. The. Hello. You. 🙂👍💯

[@andrecarvalho6326]

And they say it’s the land of the free and democracy 😂

[@chroniflix]

do you think its effective to make phone calls during campaign?

[@rigelb9025]

They sure do.

[@universalnav-mylifemywork9670]

Fantastic discussion!