“The system is disgusting,” says Ben (of ice-cream fame).
One dollar! One vote! The man has a point.
America is no longer a democracy. It just has the trappings.
This is Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's ice cream—but today I'm writing about something that leaves a foul taste in my mouth: money in politics.
Jeb Bush has raised so much money that he's told his billionaire donors to give no more than $1 million now and save the rest for later—and he's going to let his Super PAC run his campaign.1,2 The billionaire Koch brothers have pledged $100 million to the candidates they support, likely including Governor Scott Walker's run for president.3,4 While Ted Cruz raised $4 million in a few days, he helped his Super PAC raise $31 million.5 And Hillary Clinton is planning on raising $200-300 million for Super PACs that back her—in addition to $2.5 billion for her own campaign.6
This system is disgusting. It's proof that our democracy is more awash in political spending than ever. It's a reminder that the richest 1%, corporations, and their lobbyists are going to own these elections—and that pushes the rest of us to the sidelines.
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