The President’s written me, so has his wife and every DNC member. Day in and day out, hysteria in my inbox. The midterms are coming! Philistines at the gate! The fate of the Senate now hangs on just this race - [cut & paste your state].
Elizabeth Warren, who rarely wrote and always conferred dignity has pierced my leathery heart more consistently than all others combined, but combined, in this midterm election, I have given double the money I’ve given to all prior races combined.
Show of hands? My acquaintances variously eyeroll, crank their mouths, have fever twitches. Both parties. I mean, conservatives complain, too. I get stern silence for the favor of pointing out to them the Kochs’ coup d’etat doesn’t need their donations.
2014—guaranteed blockbuster election money shitstorm that’ll pale all others—until 2016. Which looms out there like something Tolkien.
This is VERY screwed up.
There are two things regardless of elections that I give to until all my Scot ancestors shriek like frightened children: Lessing’s PAC and anything viably ending Citizens United.
The Dunning-Krugerrand effect (money makes water flow uphill with inverse effect on ethics) has a vicious hold on this country. We’re running our elections like a commodity market and it’s insane. Remove the insane money from elections before we’re all broke (except you know fuckin who).
Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose—are we really supposed to oblige that literally?