Throwing Good Money After Bad

Trey Smith

Dave Johnson, a fellow at the Campaign for America's Future, has posted an article, Why DC Ignores Real Problems And What You Can Do About It, that discusses the many issues that both government leaders and the mainstream media continually refuse to address. Like so many others, he correctly identifies the chief culprit: corporate money. But his solution to this nagging problem reminds me of the solution proffered by many in terms of the gun violence debate. While the latter urge more guns to combat gun violence, Johnson urges progressive money to offset corporate money.

His specific solution? He urges every progressive-minded person to contribute $3 to one of several progressive organizations.

On the surface, it sounds like a plausible strategy. If big money is mucking up democracy, then we should counter it with money of our own. That way we can hope to begin the process of out lobbying the lobbyists.

But if we believe that money is THE corrupting variable, how will more money solve the problem?

This is where I think the rebel progressive Chris Hedges has it right. Money won't solve the problem that money creates -- only feet in the streets can hope to change the tide.

And therein lies the problem. Americans like to throw money at things. Rather than volunteer to work at a soup kitchen or build houses for the poor, far too many Americans much more prefer to donate money to such causes. That way they can feel good about themselves without having to do any of the work itself! Such folks can say they have made a meaningful contribution to the cause without actually rolling up their own sleeves.

By the very nature of the beast, the oligarchy will always have far more money to spend to subvert democracy than the poor and middle class can spend to protect it. What we have in far more abundance than they do is bodies and bodies in the streets can and have overcome money many times before.

So, in my mind, if we seriously want to change the course this nation is headed, we need to counter corporate money with ourselves. If we are too lazy to commit to this, then we dig our own early graves.