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Dear Future President,

Politics isnt cheap; as of September 12th the political parties raised


$1,080,074,724 for this years election, and they needed every dollar. Providing
voters with information about candidates is essential, advertisements that make
them glow with perfection is staple, and slandering the opposition is a standard.
Every commercial, every press conference costs money. The more money that a
candidate has access to, the more effective their campaign efforts become.
Because of this logic, running for president changes from a battle of politics, to one
of economics. Without the support of massive sources of wealth, its impossible to
win an election. The two parties have created a system where money, not ability to
serve the American people, decides who will be the next American president.
If money is needed to be heard in politics, one can make two deductions:
those who have more can speak louder, and not spending means not speaking. This
leaves millions of voices unheard, a clear undermining of the first amendment.
Think back to when you were running for president, of how much you spent
traveling from state to state, how much you spent publishing advertisements. Do
you really think you could have won the election without that? If so stop reading
now. If you recognise that without millions of dollars you would not be sitting where
you are today, then you must work to change the system.
One major part of the problem is lobbying, companies using the promise of
donations to influence politicians decisions. This wasnt always an accepted
practice, but in the Buckley v. Valeo case the Supreme Court ruled that private
companies can use their funds to support candidates under the protection of the
first amendment. Ever since that case, major organizations and companies have
played a major role in the electoral process. The Republican party, for example, is
famous for being heavily influenced by the NRA which has wielded its dollars to
ensure Congress doesn't pass gun-control laws. This is only one of many examples
of how lobbying can influence the governments decisions, despite public opinion.
The first step to fixing the electoral process is banning or limiting corporate
contributions to campaigns. Without corporations influence on the elections, the
parties will make choices that are best for the people, not the ones that makes them
the most money. However, because this policy has already been rejected by the
supreme court, it would have to be made into an amendment which is quite difficult.
But should this dream become a reality, millions would find their voice.
In sum, the massive monetary divide between the mainstream parties and
individual candidates promotes the systematic silencing of the people and allows for
corruption that will destroy what is left of this once great country. By limiting
lobbying, you can restore the ideals that this country stands for: free speech, equal
opportunity, a balance of power, and a leaders chosen by the people, for the
people.
Sincerely,

Tim Matista

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