Jim Hightower: It's Official: Money Now Governs America

[marmar]

Published on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 by Creators.com
It's Official: Money Now Governs America

by Jim Hightower


The rich are different from you and me, but the really, really, really rich are also different from the merely rich.

For example, the rich can buy caviar and Champagne, but the Triple-R Rich can buy entire presidential campaigns.

Take Sheldon Adelson, the moneybags who's pumped $11 million so far into Newt Gingrich's right-wing run. He has single-handedly kept Gingrich's White House ambitions alive. Without this one guy's money, The Newt would've been long gone. Thanks a lot, Sheldon.

But Adelson can easily afford to roll the dice on a far-out candidate. This global casino baron hauled in $3.3 million in pay last year. Not for a year — that's what his hourly take was. In other words, his $11-million bet on Newt, which altered the Republican presidential race, was nothing — less than three-and-a-half hours of one of Sheldon's workdays. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/02/15-0

[sharp_stick]

1. I would love to see a team

of forensic accountants on Adelson's books. Shit, his dealings with China are probably due a look from the State Department as well.

[snappyturtle]

2. Just lost my appetite for lunch. nt

[City Lights]

3. I feel sick to my stomach after reading this. eom

[xchrom]

4. welcome to post democracy america. nt

[Bill USA]

5. recommended. Should be shown to all lumpen proletariate.

[handmade34]

6. it's official but

we still must fight it...

http://www.united4thepeople.org/

[kemah]

7. All is not lost, tons of money can be neutralized by social media

Look at Rick Santorum, low budget but with the internet and you tube you can get your message out. The Arab Spring is another example, not only money buy brute force could not stop the movement.
I am not saying that tons of money can really help a candidate, but it's impact is not as great as it was pre Internet.
Look at Romney, he has tons of money but yet has to seal the deal. You tube moments are played and you can not deny "He was severely liberal before he was severely conservative."