Lambert 1

ClaudiaLambert
Ms.Damon
English3AP,Period6
30May,2014
TheBiggerTheWallet,TheBiggerTheVoice:TheOnePercentsPoliticalInfluence
RonPaul,aversedexpertintheworldofpoliticiansoncespokeofthepresenceof
corruption:Whenonegetsinbedwithgovernment,onemustexpectthediseasesit
spreads.Governmentalcorruptionhasbeenafearedexistencesincethebeginningsof
democracyandwithrecentdecisionsgivingwealthybillionairestheabilitytodonatelargesums
ofmoneytotheirpreferredparty,lobbyingandhedgefundinghasbecomeagreyarea
concerningsuchcorruption.TheCitizensUnitedmovementstatesamissionofworkingtowards
restoringthesecurityoffreemarketandreturningcontroltothecitizens.Themovementhashad
increasingpresenceinAmericanpoliticswithinthepastdecade,mostnotablythecaseof
CitizensUnitedvs.FederalElectionCommission.DuetotheSupremeCourtsrulingsinfavorof
theCitizensUnitedmovementinthepastdecade,whichallowedformorecorporationsand
individualstofundelectioncampaigns,thewealthiestonepercenthashadincreasinginfluence
andcontroloverpoliticaldecisionsandelections.
Thewealthyonepercenthasutilizedtheirpersonalconnectionsandvariousorganizations
towieldamplifiedcontrolinAmericangovernment.CitizensUnitedisanorganization
establishedtoprovidetheindividualfreedomofspeechwithingovernment;thisalsomeans
freedomofthewallet.OnApril2,2014,theSupremeCourtruled54infavorofCitizens
United,eliminatedlimitsonhowmuchanindividualcandonateinonelectionseason(Cohen

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andMears).TheKochbrothers,ownersofthemultibilliondollarcorporation,KochIndustries,
havebeenbenefactorstotheTeaPartyandAmericansforProsperityforoveradecadeand
together,theKochbrothersmayhavespentmoremoneytoinfluenceAmericanpoliticsthan
anyoneelseinthecountry,(ParkAvenue:Money,Power,andtheAmericanDream").These
brothersarethetyrantsholdingthenationsgovernmentbytheneck.Bydonatinglargesumsof
money,theleadersoftheirpreferredpoliticalpartiesmusttaketheiropinionsandrequestsinto
considerationinordertocontinuereceivinglargesumsofdonations.Asenseofobligationtothe
donorscomeswithacceptinglargedonations;theKochbrothershaveusedthisobligationto
theiradvantage.Thepartiesneedtheresourcesandconnectionstokeeptheirmissionmoving
andultimatelygainmorecontrolinthethreebranchesofgovernment.Theirabilitytodonate
millionsthroughCitizensUnitedandPACorganizationgrantsthemapotentvoice.Thus,they
caneffectivelyadvocatefortheenforcementofentrepreneurialspirit(ParkAvenue:Money,
Power,andtheAmericanDream")withinCongress.Theirselfishmotivesaremaskedbytheir
valuablesupport.Anotherbillionaire,SteveSchwartzmanalsoholdstremendouspoliticalpower,
whichhasultimatelyledtopoliticalcorruptionwithinUnitedStates.Asawealthyhedgefunder,
Schwartzmanhadprovidedvastsumstopoliticalentities:in2007,GeorgeW.Bushraised1.2
milliondollarsfortheRepublicanNationalCommitteeafterspending15minuteswith
Schwartzman(ParkAvenue:Money,Power,andtheAmericanDream").Thenationspresident
wasevenatfaultforprovidingthewealthywithmanipulativepowerwithintheRepublican
Party.Byaskingfordonations,Bushrelinquishedtheabilitytodisregardthewantsofhis
benefactors.SchwartzmanandhiscolleaguesdesiresmoveuponBushsprioritylistandthe
needsofthebottom99percentdiminish.Asaresult,theonepercentwasabletiltthetaxcodein

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theirfavorandinfluencetheimplementationofregulationandthewritingsoflaws(Park
Avenue:Money,Power,andtheAmericanDream").Thisabilitytotiltthetaxcode,specifically
in2007undertheBushadministration,hasyieldeddevastatingconsequencesfortherestofthe
Americancitizens;theincomegaphaswidenedexponentiallywithinthepasttwentyyears,
leavingmanyhomeless.Withthenationsleadersvoluntarilygivingtheonepercentsuch
conditionalpower,selfishmotivestakeoverandthebottom99percentaretheonestosuffer
fromtheactions.Byactivelyseekingoutfundsfromhedgefunders,theexecutivebranch
activelysetsitselfuptobeheavilyinfluencedbythedorors.Thepresident,likeBush,is
consentingtoallconditionsthataccompanythedonatedfunds.
CitizensUnitedhasspecificallyallowedthewealthyonepercenttodonatetotheirparties
throughorganizationsandPACs.SuperPACswereborninordertogivetheonepercentyet
anotheroutletfortheirenormous,independent,unlimitedexpendituresfororagainstany
candidate(HubbardandKane).TheKochbrothershaveutilizedthisloopholetoavoid
restrictionsagainstheavyfundingandtodonatetoamultitudeofselfadvantageousfoundations,
schools,andparties,thusindirectlyfuelingtheircausesinthepoliticalfield.Specifically,the
Kochshavedonated$2,535,750totheCATOIndustry,$2,000,000totheRepublicanGovernor's
Association,$5,760,781toAmericansforProsperity,$17,050,844totheGeorgeMason
Foundation,alongwithmuchmore(ParkAvenue:Money,Power,andtheAmericanDream").
ImmeasurablemeansarecontinuallytakenbytheKochsinordertopreservetheirinterestsand
reapthebenefitsoftheflawedpoliticalsystem.TheNewYorkTimeschiefpolitical
correspondent,MattBai,revealedthatCitizensUnitedunleashedatorrentofmoneyfrom
businessesandthemultimillionaireswhorunthem,andasaresultwearenowseeingthe

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corporatetakeoverofAmericanpolitics,(Bai).ThecorebeliefsandcornerstonesAmericawas
builtonhavebeencorruptedandtruedemocracyhasstartedtofadewhilemillionsofdollars
floodintothepocketsofpoliticalorganizationsaimingtogettheircandidatesintooffice.The
wealthyonepercentlivingonParkAvenuecontrolsAmericasgovernmentwhilethemajorityof
Americasuffersduetotheonepercentsinfiltration.Notonlydothe99percentsufferfrom
unfavorabletaxcodes,laws,andmore,butalsotheonepercentishidingbehindserviceable
organizationstohideitsactions.ByusingPACs,theonepercentseemswellmeaningand
helpful,whileactually,thewealthyonepercentisdrivingtheorganizationstowardsachievingits
desiredmeansinCongress.TheKochbrothershavedonatedtomorethanhalfofthecurrent
HouseandSenate(ParkAvenue:Money,Power,andtheAmericanDream").Thesemembers
oftheonepercenthaveinfluenceoverthemajorityofCongress;theycanultimatelyswaythe
passingofanybillorregulationintheirfavorwiththeclickofapen;allittakesisasignatureon
thecheck.
Whilegainingabilitytofundfavoredcampaignsandpoliticaldecisions,theonepercent
claimsitisheldintheBillofRights,asfreedomofspeech,todonateaslargeofsumsasitseems
fit.ShaunMcCutcheon,ownerofanAlabamaelectricalengineeringcompany,statedSpending
moneyonadvertising,promotingideasandsupportingcandidatesisanexerciseofourrightto
freedomofspeech,inresponsetotheSupremeCourtsrulingconcerninglimitsondonations
(CohenandMears).Whileitisintheonepercentsprerogativetoexercisefreedomofspeech,
whenthelossofintegrityinAmericandemocracyandborderlinecorruptionareeffectsofsuch
execution,limitsmustbeplacedinordertopreservethelivelihoodandhonorofthenation.
HouseSpeakerJohnBoehnerexpressedhisadamantapprovaloftheCourtsrulingandstated,

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Youallhavethefreedomtowritewhatyouwanttowrite.Donorsoughttohavethefreedomto
givewhattheywanttogive,(CohenandMears).Whensuchgivingbecomesexcessive,the
governmentmustrecognizetheinfluenceandreevaluatetheextenttowhichsuchdonationstruly
influencepoliticaldecisions.When200milliondollarshavebeendonatedfromtheKoch
brotherstosupporttheirintentions,theHouseSpeakeroughttorecognizethisinfluenceand
adjustthelawinordertobettersuitboththeonepercentandthe99percent.Freedomofspeech
isacoreAmericanvalue,butsoarefairness,integrity,anddemocracy.Congressandthe
SupremeCourtneedtodrawthelinetopreservepoliticalpurityandlimitoutsidecorporate
influence.
TheAmericanpoliticalsystemsstandstoprotectitscitizensandvoicetheneedsofthe
people;thewealthyonepercentcontinuestoblockthismissionandtoinfiltratepoliticalactions
tobettersuititsownselfishintentions.ByallowingCitizensUnitedtogainmorepower,the
wealthyonepercenthastheabilitytoinfluencepoliticaldecisionsandactions.Asmoreand
morebillionairesdonatelargesums,itmustbeexpectedforafewdiseasestospreadthroughout
societyandthegovernment.Americaselectedpoliticiansmustrepresentthe99percentandhold
thecureforsuchdiseases.

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WorksCited
Bai,Matt."HowMuchHasCitizensUnitedChangedthePoliticalGame?."TheNew
YorkTimes.N.p.,17July2012.Web.21Apr.2014.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/magazine/howmuchhascitizensunitedchangedthe
politicalgame.html?pagewanted=all>.
Corn,David."SecretCampaignFundingCorruptsandEndangersDemocracy."Corporate
Corruption.Ed.JudeenBartos.Detroit:GreenhavenPress,2012.AtIssue.Rpt.from"And
2010'sBiggestWinnerIs..."MotherJones(2Nov.2010).OpposingViewpointsinContext.
Web.21Apr.2014.
Gibney,Alex,dir.ParkAvenue:Money,Power,&theAmeri.Netflix,2012.Web.20
May2014.
Hubbard,Glenn,andTimKane."Indefenseofcitizensunitedwhycampaignfinance
reformthreatensAmericandemocracy."ForeignAffairsJulyAug.2013.GlobalIssuesIn
Context.Web.21Apr.2014.
Mears,Bill,andTomCohen."SupremeCourtallowsmoreprivatemoneyinelection
campaigns."CNN.N.p.,2Apr.2014.Web.21Apr.2014.
<http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/02/politics/scotuspoliticaldonorlimits/>.

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Rutenberg,Jim."ConservativeDonorGroupsLayaBasefor2012Elections."TheNew
YorkTimes.N.p.,31Oct.2010.Web.21Apr.2014.