Her message: our democracy cannot endure the
political power of special interests. Granny D, by her march, put feet under her
prayers for campaign finance reform. The media reports astronomical sums of cash
gushing through the political process as Americans face their choice this
election year. Both the Republican and Democratic conventions attracted
corporate sponsors of galas and courtesy perks, while both parties vied with one
another for hard and soft money. To the judicial system, campaign contributions
represent free speech, but for people of faith they beg a responsibility in
light of the common good.
The Center for Responsive Politics, a non-partisan, non-profit research
organization based in Washington, D.C. (www.crp.org), sketched some recent facts
about money and politics. For example, money cannot guarantee an election, but
it ensures a candidate’s viability. In 1998, with a financial advantage of
10-to-one over opponents, 98 percent of House incumbents won re-election.
Business interests contributed eleven times more in the 1997-98 election cycle
than labor interests. And natural resource-centered industries concerned about
environmental regulations--oil, gas, mining, electric utilities and auto–those
same years contributed $48.2 million in federal campaign contributions, compared
to only $814,712 from environmental groups.
The imbalance of this financial strength many times means the difference in
the laws passed and rules implemented. A coalition of 47 industry groups
contributed $8.2 million in PAC money to congressional candidates between 1997
and 1998 effectively stalling the implementation of stricter safety rules sought
by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA.) And pharmaceutical
companies between 1997 to 1999 contributed $18.2 million to members of Congress
encouraging the protection of corporate monopolies on specific drugs. A study by
the Public Citizen’s Health Research Group compared the cost of eight leading
antipsychotic and antidepressants and found Americans pay 1.7 to 2.9 times more
than Canadians and Europeans. In a democracy, special interests with money means
special privilege with lawmakers.
The social teachings of the Church emphasize the rights and responsibilities
of social actors. The unborn have a right to life, and "deadbeat dads"
have a responsibility to their children. Along the same line corporations and
the wealthy have a responsibility for the common good, and they must use their
economic power in responsible ways.
While individual corporations and the wealthy may support the arts and
community projects, collectively they have frequently directed their power in
politics to more self-serving ends. Corporate taxes currently amount to roughly
13 percent of the federal income, down from 22 percent since 1960. And, federal
handouts to corporations and wealthy individuals through tax breaks and
subsidies amount to three times the money spent on welfare for the poor.
"It is a right of every American to be represented without the
interference of a corrupt system of institutionalized bribery," says Granny
D. Campaign finance reform comprises only the first step in making corporations
and the rich responsible with their money in politics, but Granny D needs more
folks to join her march.
Read other articles of
Spiritual Enlightenment in the November 2000 edition of