The Democrats and the Clash of the Billionaires

It should be of concern to all that this nation's campaigns are engaging in unchecked spending, running into the billions, and favors being passed out seemingly without regard to who is paying the bills.

It should not be lost on the public that the arena of political play is being entered by billionaires capable of funding their own campaigns as well as buying ads without checks or balances applied. What is to prevent them from giving folks $100 per person to register to vote for them?

Unfortunately the criteria for being on stage for presidential debates nullifies the constitutional right of anyone to run who is a U.S. citizen of at least 35 years of age, a resident of the nation 14 years, and a natural born citizen. Engendered in our election process is a mistaken belief that money should be a major factor allowing one political visibility to talk/run for office and all else become secondary.

As the Democrats are experiencing the entry of Michael Bloomberg and Tom Steyer into their presidential field, the flagrant unfairness of their selection process is increasingly visible.

Their billionaires are seen able to leap frog their competition with their own financed ads, shielding them from the debates and critical questioning. In addition, their wealth makes a mockery of campaign financing and should demand a personal cap on candidate contributions to their races of say no more than $10 million. This lack of requirements to participate from the get go, as well as winnowing the field by polls is allowing a lack of discourse from the rank and file for if one doesn’t have the money to pay in, then one is not going to be able to play or have a meaningful say. Forget the Ukraine, this is the essence of pay to play.

The hypocrisy of the Democrats in calling Republicans racists seems evident to many because there are fewer people of color or women with reasonable political policies and profiles who are likely to be left standing on their stage in November. Kamala Harris, Corey Booker, and possibly Deval Patrick can’t simply yell racism for their failures to make the cut. Their lack of cogent public policies does not speak to the hearts of the voting public, which is killing them. Their lack of fundraising feeds into this as well as possible consideration of the same they believe is inherent in being a Republican.

With concerns that income tax returns don’t have to be publicly exposed for presidential candidates, will more chose to run given such shielding? Do folks making that kind of money game the system and have something to hide?

The culling of ideal Democrats for a presidential run illustrates a major flaw in the Democrat’s selection process, delegate apportionment. As such, the allowance of Hillary Clinton to keep their data as hers, adherence to a belief in “super delegates” which nullifies the voices of the rank and file compounds their disregard for the beauty of the Electoral College system which insures that each state’s voices are heard, not to be drowned out by those with the most residents.

Don’t be surprised if Hillary Clinton becomes a “wild card” chosen from the floor of the Democratic Convention as others fall from grace by the wayside. The Republican failure in 2016 was their unwillingness to take on Clinton for her Uranium One dealings, private email server, connections to Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein as well as so many other misdeeds which should have been investigated by an inspector general to the same extent as has been done for President Trump. This could have possibly put her in jail as many of her detractors demanded; but the old boys in our political swamp covered for her trying to convince the public that wrong isn’t wrong.

It is time for true election reform. Republicans as well as Democrats should show a willingness to trust the people and give way to their voices not just those of the rich.

Ada M. Fisher, MD, MPH is a licensed teacher, retired Corporate physician, former county school board member, speaker, author of "Common Sense Conservative Prescriptions Good for What Ails Us Book 1" (available through Amazon. com) and is the NC Republican National Committeewoman. Contact through DrAdaMFisher.org. To read more of Dr. Fisher's reports, Click Here Now.