Elections have consequences....
Oct. 14th, 2014 09:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
osodecanelaLast night Rachel Maddow profiled the mayor's race in one of the few poor areas in northern California's Bay Area. Billboards are popping up all over Richmond supporting new candidates for mayor and city council. How much has been spent? According to Rachel the mayoral candidate has $1 million to work with; this contrasted with the sitting mayor's war chest of $60K. Who's gifted the mayor's opponent with those funds? Well, Richmond is home to Chevron's oil refinery. For Chevron, a million is pocket change. Thanks to the SCOTUS ruling in Citizens United corporations are people, money is speech and those corporations can put all the money they wish into a political race.
Finest democracy money can buy, eh?
There is no guarantee that Chevron's candidate will win. The initiative the Koch Brothers got onto the ballot a couple of cycles back to undo an environment protection law enacted by our legislature, failed at the ballot box. There were enough activists across the state and enough organizations campaigning against the measure. A smaller city election however, in a poorer community however? That kinda money doesn't bode well.
So, as I said before, elections have consequences. When people sit home during midterm elections, not exercising their franchise, conservative 'true believers' who do make it to the polls shift the make-up of congress to the right.
Pissed off at the gridlock in Washington? I am.
Think letting the Senate flip to the Republicans won't matter? Think again.
I have two words for you. Supreme Court. The Senate has to approve any presidential nominee to the court. What kind of candidate would a Senate lead by Mitch McConnell approve? The very thought of this makes my blood run cold. Especially when I remember the notorious RBG is 81 years old. And a two time cancer survivor.
Think twice, before you choose to stay home from the polls this year. Very carefully, indeed.
As for corporations being people, I'll believe that right after the state of Texas executes one.
Finest democracy money can buy, eh?
There is no guarantee that Chevron's candidate will win. The initiative the Koch Brothers got onto the ballot a couple of cycles back to undo an environment protection law enacted by our legislature, failed at the ballot box. There were enough activists across the state and enough organizations campaigning against the measure. A smaller city election however, in a poorer community however? That kinda money doesn't bode well.
So, as I said before, elections have consequences. When people sit home during midterm elections, not exercising their franchise, conservative 'true believers' who do make it to the polls shift the make-up of congress to the right.
Pissed off at the gridlock in Washington? I am.
Think letting the Senate flip to the Republicans won't matter? Think again.
I have two words for you. Supreme Court. The Senate has to approve any presidential nominee to the court. What kind of candidate would a Senate lead by Mitch McConnell approve? The very thought of this makes my blood run cold. Especially when I remember the notorious RBG is 81 years old. And a two time cancer survivor.
Think twice, before you choose to stay home from the polls this year. Very carefully, indeed.
As for corporations being people, I'll believe that right after the state of Texas executes one.
