Major takeaway from running for Congress: Unless we reform campaign finance laws to eliminate dark money, the people we get to vote for will continue to largely be the last people we want to hold office.
The system is a runaway train, & it's plowing over honest, good people.
If you want to see what's driving the passage of legislation, follow the money trail. Lobbyists can serve a purpose in educating lawmakers about niche issues, but the way money is thrown around has corrupted that function of the role.
In order to raise enough money to run a legitimate, viable campaign, you need a network of wealth to tap into. The chicken/egg scenario at its worst. You have to have money to get endorsements, & you have to have endorsements to raise money. How does that work if you have a job?
Former Catholic here, & I'm watching commenters say Francis isn't the real pope rather than shift their position on the death penalty to be in line with the religion they follow. Hard to claim you're Catholic when you actively say you know better than the pope.
FWIW, I've been opposed to the death penalty since I learned 156 people on death row have been exonerated so far, which means for every 10 executed one has been set free. I can't reconcile executing people when the gravest errors are made. Life in prison w/o parole is preferable.
When you add in the fact that disproportionate numbers of people on death row are people of color, and/or have disabilities or are from impoverished backgrounds, it's just too much for me to reconcile. Taking away liberty can be reversed, but taking away life can't be.
We've spent over a year protesting Trump's words & actions, but his comments about Russia starkly reveal not only his ignorance of geopolitics & history, but also his lack of allegiance to the United States, our allies, & our intelligence community. He is a goddamn disgrace. 1/
Russia is a foreign power, & one that has taken direct action to harm our nation. They are not just a business associate. Their leader is as corrupt as they come, & he profits off of the suffering of his own people & the undermining of the democratic principles we strive for. 2/
It is up to us to define our role in the world. As citizens we have a responsibility to care of our nation. We are America. Trump does not speak for all of us. If you reject the regression he is forcing on us, ask yourself what you can do for your country. We need you. 3/
Here's the new project I'm working on to help right the wrongs we're seeing in our country. We have a new way to give the environment a voice! Introducing #ProtectOurParks I founded this PAC to keep our parks OURS. #poppac
The website is in progress, but it'll be up in basic form later tonight. Of our National Parks are your thing, this is the fight you want to be in. We'll be working to highlight Congressfolk who work against the Parks. What's done in the dark will be brought to the light.
You may have noticed the logo has states in green, which are where the Congressfolk who take actions harmful to the Parks System are from. Pretty widespread, unfortunately. In this day and age, nothing is guaranteed. Let's work to keep our shared national treasures safe.
#TheProblemWithPolitics is that the kind of people willing to run for office aren't the kind of people we need in office.* I saw this up close & personal, & it's even more ugly than you think. We need elected officials who mentor the next generation.
*With rare exceptions.
At the federal level, we keep sending professional fundraisers to office who are in it for ego or other selfish reasons. At the state & local level, people are consumed by grabbing & retaining power or territory. The larger purpose of serving is far too often lost.
Want to make money have less of a role in elections (assuming we don't overturn #CitizensUnited right away)? Local party orgs should establish a reasonable fundraising threshold candidates have to meet to be considered for endorsement, & then not consider money beyond that.
We're well within our rights to critique our President (& elected officials) when their actions warrant it. A very patriotic American once wrote, "The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. 1/
...He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. 2/
...Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. 3/