Are the Democrats ever going to stop feeding on corporate donations? If so

[bobweaver]

when and how???

[blm]

1. Can you show that Dems are choosing corporate interests over the worker

and the environment and the poor?

And, I mean as a party, not some individuals here and there.

[eg101]

4. compare us to European countries

True Universal healthcare in almost all Western European countries. How about here? Are our Dems fighting tooth and nail to get this for us?

35-40 hour weeks mandatory in several European countries. Also, 4-6 weeks of vacation a year mandatory in most of those countries. How about here? Are our democratic leaders fighting for us on these issues?

[blm]

8. The GOP was for cutting overtime pay. Dems were against it.

Dems are for raising minimum wage. GOP is against it.

GOP is for rolling back environmental protections. Dems against it.

Dems are for extending healthcare benefits for the poor and veterans. GOP is against it.

Where is it again that GOP and Dems are BOTH catering to corporate interests?

Are they really doing it to the degree that some claim? Or is that just a convenient tactic to use to turn more away from the Dem psrty?

I'd say that those who DON'T want a stronger Dem party to fight against the GOP agenda would employ this type of tactic to undermine the Dems right at the time they need to toughen up for the battles ahead.

[bobweaver]

5. five letters: NAFTA

[blm]

9. That's IT? That's all you got? Weak.

And NAFTA under Clinton and a booming economy wasn't a disaster as it is under Bush's deliberate sabotaging of the economy.

[Richardo]

2. Why should they?

Personally, I'm against all contributions to political candidates from anyone or anything other than private citizens (and corporations, unions and lobbying organizations are NOT citizens).

BUT: as long as it's legal, why unilaterally take away one of the few means for Dem-contributing corporations to help get Dems elected? Or one of the few ways for Dem candidates to even up the contribution playing field, which is nearly always in favor of the Republicans?

[bobweaver]

6. Because corporations usually donate to both parties, thereby ensuring that

corporations get what they want, no matter who wins a particular election, and thereby also ensuring that individuals, workers, poor people, animals and the environment do NOT get what they need. The Democrats are tied into this system by the corporate money that they accept. This is what keeps the Democratic party so close to the Republican party on economic issues, and ensures that the Democrats keep losing elections because the Republicans win on social issues. On economic issues they are not different enough to make any difference to voters. Only by walking away from the corporate trough will Democrats ever free themselves from this system and truly represent their real constituency. The way it is now, corporations win the game no matter what, since they donate heavily to both sides in any particular election. This ensures corporate power over government and ensures that all other interests take a back seat to the special interest of corporate profits.

[blm]

10. Now try getting SPECIFIC. Show us how the Dems promote corporate interests

over the working person? And show us how they are no different than the Republicans.

Specifics, please. No generalizations.

[idlisambar]

13. just a few...

1. Support for NAFTA
2. Our own membership in the WTO and support for China's entry.
3. Support for deregulation of banking/broader finance from early 70's on.
4. Support for deregulation of airlines in the early 80's
5. Clinton's "Strong dollar" policies

[blm]

15. Nowhere near comparison with the GOP. Corporations don't want minimum wage

raised, Dems do.

Corporations want NO environmental regulations to restrict them, and Dems do.

Dems want corporate tax loopholes closed so corporations pay their fair share.

Corporations want tort reform to restrict consumer access to the courts, and Dems want greater consumer protections and court access for wronged consumers.

Corporations wanted to eliminate overtime rules, and Dems fought against it.

This is the reality of some of the Dems' battles over the last 5 years, not to mebtion the NEXT 5 years. Why the hell would anyone say they are the same as Republicans? Who is DUMB enough to believe it?

[idlisambar]

16. same as Republican, no, but...

...in certain crucial areas such as trade the Democrats have not stepped up to the plate for labor. Broadly speaking, both parties have adopted a "laissez-faire" worldview both in their rhetoric ("The era of big government is over") and in their continual push to deregulate. Democrats have been reduced to trying to "patch" obvious market failures like the one's you've cited (not that those efforts are not appreciated).

Incidentally, I don't really view the issue as one of labor vs. corporate interests. With the right regulatory framework and business culture the interests of each could be made to align much more closely. Democrats' biggest failure is to not push for an industrial policy that would make it so.

[Richardo]

12. Hence my proposition that ALL contributions come from private citizens.

ONLY.

No corporations, no unions, no PACS, no lobbying groups, no associations.

Private citizens only, capped at let's say $5,000 each. No exceptions.

[K-W]

3. When its possible to win elections without advertising campaigns

and expensive polling.

Until we reform the system we cant ask the democrats to comitt political suicide.

This is not to say we cant ask them to shift far to the left, but we cant ask them to turn down corporate money at a time when money is one of the main determaing factors in elections.

We need to work on the ground to reduce the influence of advertising through independent information dissemination and to get popular support for progressives to win elected positions.

Once there is a way for democrats to beat republicans without corporate money, or we have caused systematic reform in our elections, then we can call for democrats to reject such money.

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. Today's forecast in Hell: Cloudy, 20°F

Money is always going to be necessary to run campaigns.

[KharmaTrain]

7. Chicken - Egg...

OK...let's prohibit Democrats from doing what Repugnicans do without reservations...force them not to accept thousands or millions in campaign contributions. This isn't money they pocket...at least legally, this goes to TV air time, newspaper ads, flyers...ways for the candidate to get their name out to voters and keep it there.

I agree corporate money should be minimalized in politics and that a price tag shouldn't be placed on political offices, but that's not how the game is played. Maybe if there's enough Democrats/Progressive/Liberals elected in the future, then we can work on some serious finance reform.

In the meantime, how do you suggest these candidates and politicians get financing? Door to door? Bake sales?

George Soros is on the right track and I'd like to see more Progressive organizations work on better funding state and local candidates...the grassroots in creating a future Democratic majority.

[Guns Aximbo]

14. NEVERNEVERNEVERNEVERNEVER

Never