‘Amend The Constitution To Save Our Democracy’: Current TV‘s Granholm Claims Politicians ’Hate’ Money
- Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:30pm by
Mytheos Holt
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By now, Americans have been treated to practically every boilerplate argument against the corrupting influence of money in politics by a Left wing that only sounds more and more shrill the more and more obvious it becomes that their policies are driving the deep-pocketed donors away. Except for George Soros, of course. However, even we were surprised when former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, now a host at Al Gore’s Current TV, advanced the argument that fundraising is terrible because politicians hate it.
Yes, according to Granholm, politicians positively loathe having money tossed their way from every possible direction, and would dearly love it if everyone would just stop doing it. At least, that’s what she says at first in the above segment. The story changes a few times, you see. First, Granholm says politicians hate getting all this money. She never explains why, except with some vague allusions to politicians getting into their business because they want to change things. From what we can infer, this means Granholm is upset that running for office involves actually caring about the concerns of constituents over your own intellectual commitments. Oh, representative government, why must you be so cruel?
But then Granholm pivots to talking about how terrible it is to have to raise money. Specifically, she talks about the humiliating experience of having to cold call long lists of potential donors, begging for money, while she gets tracked in her fundraising progress. And apparently, at least if Granholm’s account is to be believed, she did this while acting as sitting Governor. We‘re not sure what’s more troubling, the fact that she’s obviously stretching the truth since cold calling donors is generally work reserved for volunteers and campaign staff, or the possibility that she might not be lying, and actually spent time fundraising that she should have been spending looking after the people of Michigan.
Ah, but all of this has a point! Granholm says she had to do all of this before the Supreme Court case Citizens United came down the pike. “I cannot even imagine how much worse the pressures are now. That case has corrupted our political system, so our politics is no longer about doing the will of the people, it’s about raising the money from some of the people,” Granholm says.
Governor Granholm, no doubt, is unaccustomed to considering the internal logic of what she’s saying. Firstly, if the hellish experience she describes occurred before Citizens United even came down from the Court, then wouldn’t reversing that case put us right back in a time when that awful experience was commonplace? Secondly, if she’s concerned about learning “the will of the people” rather than fundraising from “some of the people,” then shouldn’t she want to have to cold call as many people as possible, rather than relying on a select few mega-donors (which is what Citizens United allows, according to its critics)? After all, “the people” can vote with their wallets as well as at the ballot box.
But wait, we’re missing the part where Granholm explains the cure for this problem: “The fix to get money out of politics is to amend our Constitution to save our Democracy.”
Setting aside the fact that there’s nothing to save, because America is a republic, not a democracy, what exactly does this mean? Amend the constitution to do what? Ban corporate money? Ban contributions? Set up public financing? What? No answer, perhaps because there is no problem other than Granholm’s own position.
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Comments (51)
soybomb315
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 11:02pmI have a lot more respect for any lib who says to ‘ammend the constitution’. If they want progressivism, it is the correct way to go about it. The alternatve is for the government to pass unconsitutional laws to get what they want.
If we have honest debates and do it the constitutional way – we all will be a lot better off
Report Post »Inlightofthings
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 4:36pmSOY:
Report Post »Didn’t you correct a poster for referring to the US as a Democracy as Ms. Granholm did? In the context of the federal government, she has little to offer even if she claims to have a so-called honest debate.
seeker9
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 10:46pmLibs should keep their hands off the Constitution! No doubt they want all donations to their party legal, but contributions to conservatives illegal.
Report Post »Dr. Joel Fleischman
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 10:45pmShip this beyotch back to Kanada. And make sure she takes San Fran Nan and Was-a-man Schultz with her as well.
Report Post »kapnkd
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 10:28pmMy former Governor I’m ashamed to say!!
…Moronic and communist enough to even give Pelosi a real run for her money!!
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 9:00amPay back all the Michigan tax payers for all your jet setting around the world on the taxpayers dime.
Report Post »Then deport yourself back to Canada.
ultor-de-deus-exercitus
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 10:21pm“I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.”
Report Post »H. Tubman
jadams9845
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:57pmQuestion: Does she have the ground troops to back it up?
Report Post »Answer: No!
KHENRI
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:51pmWhat about Mr. Parfait? He refused ALL donations while running for Congress and Beck would not return emails or calls.
Report Post »valleyfever
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:47pmDon’t these public servants pocket the left over campaign money when they leave office? If not, where does it go?
Report Post »MiCurmudgeon
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:42pmI propose an amendment which would limit campaign expenditures to a certain multiple of the annual salary of the office . Example: say 100 times a Senator’s salary would be 100x $174,000 = $17,400,000 could be spent . presidential candidates could spend $45, 000.000. With money out of the campaign there would be no lobbying because candidates would not be for sale.
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 10:17pmAre politicans even worth the salary we pay them? Seems all they can do is regulate, tax and spend.
Would our country be worst off without the politicans?
Report Post »jmmjr49er
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:32pmWhen I see Granholm, I only think of “Naked News from Toronto.”
Man, would she get ratings!
Other than that she is one ignorant bimbo.
Report Post »ProbIemSoIver
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:09pmThe Link “because America is a republic, not a democracy” in this article is horrible.
It shows Beck making a statement that we are a republic, not a democracy. And just like 95% of the people that claim that they are aware of this fact, he could not explain WHY we are not a democracy.
Arron Russo (R.I.P.) explains in 3 minutes WHY democracy was never mentioned in the Constitution, Bill of Rights or Declaration of Independence and why the founding fathers thought it was the worst form of government there was.
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RewUP-Fdhqk
taxpro4u03
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:26pmYou know, as well as I do (and most of America plays ostrich to the FACTS) that the ‘republic’ lasted roughly 7 years, between 1776 and 1783. —> http://www.apfn.org/apfn/bcolony.htm
Report Post »Lincoln (the original ‘decider’) Unlawfully suspended the ‘republics’ constitution on April 24, 1863… If you haven’t read this facsimile e-book written in 1904 it is well worth the read. Puts a bit more perspective on the current ceo as well —–> free download :-) —> http://archive.org/details/factsandfalseho01mergoog
SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:03pmI’m thinking Current TV will not be with us this time next year.
Report Post »michael48
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:58pmwell then give us OUR $16 Trillion back…
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:56pmHey Jenny,
The reason the candidates with the most money win most often, is because they are most often the best candidates.
That’s why they have the most money.
Most of the time…………there are exceptions.
Report Post »ODB1111
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:52pmMichigan is like a ship that took two torpedos, (both of granholms terms as governor) I think Gov Snyder just might be able to keep it afloat long enough to fix the damage
Report Post »MrKnowItAll
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 12:39amSorry. I live here in Michigan. Our New Gov. Is 100% AGENDA 21.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:51pmLet me interpret Granholm’s statement: When you think that most politicians would love to be showered with money. Well, here’s the secret. Most of us hat it…hate it…when the Republicans can raise money.
Report Post »You lying piece of crap. Take a look back into her fund raisers when she was seeking office. And, do you remember a few months ago when the 0bama admin was bragging about their plans to raise a whopping billion dollars for this campaign! They will continue to complain about the Republicans raising money, and express their hatred for the Koch Brothers all while sucking the teets of Soros, and Buffett.
taxpro4u03
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 9:41pmDon‘t let ’em fool ya — the republican ‘party’ has more money than the Pope” — http://www.whereisthemoney.org/
Report Post »Therightsofbilly
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 12:04amHI RJJ,
Good post.
They would have been happier than pigs in sheet had they pulled in their billion dollar goal.
But don’t let the other side raise whatever they are capable of raising.
Nope, can’t have that, now can we.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on June 28, 2012 at 12:34amThe headline says, “Amend the Constitution…“ but what the libs want is to ”Blend the Constitution…”.
As in a blender.
Report Post »Hugh Akston II
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:48pmWell old Jenn here loathed money so much that she left Michigan bankrupt. She was the worse governor we ever had. I am sad to see that she has a job with crazy Al Gore. For those of you that don’t know her, she is the mole, the rest of her is just an avatar.
Report Post »rettpr295
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:46pmWorst governor Michigan ever had. She is and was a complete moron!
Report Post »Maxim Crux
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:45pmI don’t send them any anyway. Doing so gets you a negative return on your dollar
Report Post »rc30
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:44pmI miss home. Had to move to Texas in 09. Why people like her just killed my home state. Thanks for making my 120,000 home worth 75,000 that was great. LIBS what a bunch of great people. This woman gave food stamps to every kid going to school. No matter what there income. Collage kids this is no joke.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:43pmThis stupid b! tch destroyed Michigan with the help of unions and now she‘s spreading more wisdom like ’politicians don‘t like money’? Absurd,moronic,idiotic progressive still pushing their BS and the mind numbed lemmings lap it up,on the bright side not many people see this idiot on current tv. Why would you want to save democracy? That sounds illogical to me and how can you save something we don’t have?
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:52pmPROGRESSIVESLAYER, Just look at it this way. When ever Granholm opens her mouth to speak, it’s like cranking up a manure spreader.
Report Post »go2gym
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:39pm1:08 of my life that I’ll NEVER get back.
Report Post »REPUB1
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:55pmDitto
Report Post »TulsaYeeHaw
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:38pmHey Michigan: Do you miss that? Huh? Yeah baby, thats what you dumbasses voted for!!
Report Post »Hugh Akston II
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:53pmTulsaYeeHaw sorry about that. Some of use are not communist her on the north cost. But I’m with you.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:37pmCanadian born Socialist… she Fluked Michigan… and now wants to do the Constitution!
Report Post »randy
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:35pmWe’re a REPUBLIC you Idiot!
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:45pmYes, how many times does that have to be said, WE ARE A REPUBLIC. I wish these people would just leave America and go to live in a Democracy somewhere, anywhere but here. We don’t want to be transformed!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »4RCOUNTRY
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:46pmThank you Randy! My thoughts exactly
Report Post »csbaby
Posted on June 27, 2012 at 8:51pmDitto….. and ditto
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