As the Arizona Republican presidential primary approaches, the unnamed Courier editor is getting tired of all the political campaigning, and
proposes taking a few moves from the UK system, including limits on campaign expenditures by parties, a ban on purchasing broadcast time, and shorter campaign seasons.
With this he demonstrates utter cluelessness about the differences between the US and UK political systems, which is not all that surprising given the limits and Amerika-centricity of our education system and media. More to the point, he seems to have missed the entire debate over campaign finance reform of the past couple of decades and the crushing blow to our democratic institutions that was the
Citizens United decision by our sadly misguided SCOTUS.
The editor's innocent fantasy of getting political attack ads out of his football games on teevee is literally impossible now without an amendment to the Constitution revoking corporate personhood and the direct equivalence of money and speech.
Sure, we can wax romantic all we like about candidates taking the high road, but we might also hope that the guy with the butter knife might win against the guy with the tank. If you want a fair fight, editor, you'll have to start advocating stronger medicine for our failing system, and quick.
You can join the campaign to amend the Constitution
here or
here. If that doesn't interest you, you're blowing smoke, so enjoy the mudfights.
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