California Recall Election the Latest Example of the Problem with Money in Politics
By Laura Knipmeyer of American Promise California
In 2017 I experienced my last election as a New Jersey resident. In spectacular form, Republican Governor Chris Christie realized the lowest approval ratings (nearly single digits) in the history of the country. The Democratic primary therefore became the sole determiner of the new governor. One man, Phil Murphy, spent $26 million of his own money in that race, assuring easy defeat of the entire field of highly qualified candidates. Yes, that’s what happened: Within the Democratic Party itself, one man prevailed with cash.
Fast forward to 2021, three years after my return to the Bay Area and my beloved California, home of democracy enjoyed to the fullest. Here we find an off-cycle recall election of the governor, bankrolled by a couple of opportunists with a few —very few —million dollars, while the rest of us voters are compelled to spend millions (at least $200 million) as a result. Our lives have been turned upside down by a pandemic for two years and times are truly hard for half of us, yet we must pay, because others paid.
What do these stories have in common? Money in politics is the root: It’s the root of policies the people don’t want, leaders the people don’t want, lines drawn where they needn’t be, and certain erasure of debate on everything We the People care about. I’m not giving up, but somebody has to say both parties are beholden and the candidates strangled by the cash.
Did you give good money to Senate candidates in other states last year? It’s completely legal. What if our governor were recalled with money from outside California? That’s not what happened in this case, but voters on all sides see and agree that without reasonable limits on money in politics, democracy is done.
As daunting as it may seem, we can pass an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to fix this foundation of our future. There is already bipartisan support for it, as well as endorsements from 22 states. Let us not be worn down in this moment of difficult problems. We can work at the root and turn things around. As former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger reminded us on the Fourth of July, “we have to work our asses off to improve” our country. That’s patriotism.
