When more voters understand that and begin basing their votes on it, we should elect more folks who actually represent the people.
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You seem to think that if voters understand “why” politicians vote against the interests of the people who put them in office, they will elect someone more responsive. My view is I don’t care about the “why”. You also over simplify the issue in thinking that its just big money they respond to. As I said, politicians are horse traders who will swap votes for nearly any reason in exchange for future favors. They also respond to a wide variety of other factors and reasons too numerous to mention. Big money is just one factor.
We are not in a court of law where establishing motive is important. We are in the political environment and please understand this one thing: there can be a multiplicity of reasons for voting. I think that voters should not focus so much on the “why” as this will only further confuse them and make them subject to manipulation by professional manipulators. At the end of the day all that really matters is that the person you elected didn’t vote for your interests. You get more responsive politicians when you show them there are consequences.
If you say don’t vote for this guy because he’s on the take from special interest groups, that won’t stop the problem because the next guy will do the same thing once they’re in office. We see this time and again because politicians lie. Instead, you focus on their voting record. Keep it simple.
If someone steals from you do you really care about their motive? You only care about your loss and punishment for the crime.
In my view, trying to discern complex motives, especially in people who are “talented” in deceiving others, is an exercise in futility. Results are all that matters.
You’re the one oversimplifying. In the age of unlimited contributions thorugh super PACs, the power of the big donors is greater than it has ever been, and more apparent. We’ve seen cases where one billionaire has kept some candidates in presidential primairies through super Pac donations.
Voters have puzzled for years about why many politicians have ignored their wishes on immigration and trade deals and other issues, issues that 60%+ of Americans have opposed, since NAFTA and before. But the politicians still voted against the majority’s wishes.
Once voters find ways to organize and offset the power and influence of big donors, then they will have a chance to elect people who will actually repreasent them.
The use of the term “bought and paid for” has become more and more common for a reason, and the power of big donors is far and away the biggest reason politicians ignore the majority of voters who actually put them in office, and will continue to ignore then until the voters find ways to organize and elect politicians who are not bought and paid for.
And there is a reason for the term “follow the money”. You can piddle around with many other lesser factors, but it’s the money that is the major factor that influences our politicians’ votes these days.