Don't poll the ordinary voters. Poll the donors! Low ratings have made it crystal clear that the people have rejected the leadership of the Bush Administration. But Representatives and Senators in overwhelming numbers are afraid to challenge the President's policies even when their constituents demand action. Wake up America and understand that most of your elected officials must respond to the dictates of the donors before constituents' needs and views can be considered.
Donocracy has replaced democracy in our nation. Despite his low ratings legions of donors approve of Bush's performance. This new power class is only a small portion of the total population; however, presently these donors are guiding Congressional actions and public policy. As a public service one of our election research firms should poll all contributors who have given a thousand dollars or more to multiple candidates in at least two election cycles. These are the shareholders of the Donocracy. Public Federal Election Commission records could facilitate such a study if one has not already been done. It would be a very valuable tool in identifying the influences and forecasting the action of Congress members, Democrats as well as Republicans.
Strange and contradictory voting behavior could be better understood within the context of an exposure of the positions and pressures imposed by the Donocracy. Puzzling behavior by the one hundred twenty Democrats who voted against the Iraq war resolution can be better deciphered. Only one hundred three of the same Representatives, after all of the deadly blunders in Iraq, are now willing to support Congressman John Murtha's resolution calling for a phased withdrawal of troops from Iraq. No pullout until Bush is ready! This is the invisible command issued by the Barons of the Donocracy. Contributions must flow only to those who are loyal to the donor base. Even some of the bold and progressive members have been intimidated into paralyzing caution.
A new set of unwritten rules has already been generated by the Donocracy Barons. Candidates for open seats are sent a clear message that, regardless of their other qualifications, they must have donor bases that are able to launch their campaign with a quarter of a million dollars or more. And, expanding on an existing practice, the amount of dues paid after being elected has been greatly increased for each member. For the Donocracy there are no other worthy talents and virtues for new Congress members. Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the basic rules which still guide the conduct of Congressional proceedings, would have been deemed a misfit as a result of his blundering on fiscal matters.
For the Donocracy representation has become a business. A Congressional seat is viewed as a valuable asset which therefore should be controlled by those willing to purchase shares. Since each year there are several critical votes of fiscal significance which yield high profits, political contributions are excellent investments. Presently a pilot program is underway involving the acquisition of several minority Congressional districts. Members in districts with lower fundraising capabilities can be easily replaced.
At least thirty of the Voting Rights Districts with current minority representation are vulnerable to being fiscally overwhelmed at some time in the near future by a one or two million dollar campaign blitzkrieg. Instead of serving as "the conscience of the Congress" a leased or purchased Congressional Black Caucus could become the loyal, unwavering, obedient spearhead of the Donocracy. Each member would vote in accordance with the instructions received from the Baron representing his or her Donocracy shareholders. On a more deadly and nationwide level the situation would degenerate into an updated version of the clever plantation owners who used to cart busloads of Black sharecroppers to the polls to have them vote obediently as instructed.
The Congressional district franchising process has already begun. Taken to its logical conclusion this Wall Street approach to the selection of our nation's top decision-makers will produce more leaders as philosophically naked as Gray Davis and George Bush or as uncontrollably greedy as Tom Delay and Duke Cunningham. The unchecked elevation of dollars into such a role of dominance is also the precondition for the development of the tsunami of corruption erupting around us.
Of course the long-term solution to this mushrooming catastrophe is the public financing of elections and regulated free candidate access to the publicly owned broadcast frequencies. But, meanwhile, without minimizing the complexity of the situation, an emergency ramrod head-on counterattack is recommended: Let the vast but loosely organized anti-war, anti-Bush movement select ten of the most outspoken challenger candidates for election or reelection to House seats and two similar candidates for Senate seats to be the funding recipients of a ten-day marathon of Internet solicitation of small contributor donations. Primary as well as general election contests should be targeted with the emphasis being placed on the established position of the candidate. While it may seem to be a contradiction this task requires "Progressives" to "Show Power" with their dollars harvested from among the millions of angry Americans demanding change now.
The online capabilities for this kind of crusade have already been well tested. The processes, procedures and technicians are available in abundant supply. What is needed is the adoption of a strategy with a laser focus. After the first ten-day solicitation marathon is concluded for the first twelve recipients, a giant leap should be undertaken to commence mass support for every Congressperson and Senator who voted against the Iraq war resolution. Members who don't have a contest would be able to exercise influence by contributing the acquired additional dollars to many other candidates with progressive convictions.
The enemy is now clearly identified. The goal of the Donocracy is to hijack our democracy and funnel the taxes and other resources into a bottomless pit of greed. We have no choice. We must engage the enemy on its chosen battleground. Masses of Americans giving to defend and support the best of our democratic principles can overwhelm and defeat the multi-million dollar "shock and awe" assault of the Donocracy.