Earlier this week at the close of a conservative retreat, the Koch brothers, Charles and David, famous for their wealthy namesake company, announced a spending goal of $889 million for the 2016 presidential campaign season. In a post-Citizens United world, this duo, alongside their network of 300 donors, are seeking to use their voice to sway an election and drown out the voices of the American people.
After the Citizens United ruling, the Supreme Court ruled that political action committees (PACs) are able to raise and donate unlimited amounts of money in support of a candidate. Rich individuals, such as the Koch brothers or Sheldon Adelson, have invested hundreds of millions of dollars propping up candidates that follow their individual vision for the country. Their ability to influence elections with little restriction has resulted in an oligarchy, a ruling system in which a small privileged group controls politics.
It is wrong for a democratic nation to allow its political future controlled by a limited few. The lofty goal set by the Koch brothers puts them in a position to out-fundraise the major political parties, both of which raised a little over $500 million each in the last presidential cycle.
Super PACs should be subject to the same regulatory laws as party donations. Individuals can only donate a limited amount to parties over the course of primary and general elections. Donations come from supporters and citizens who believe in the issues and donate in the hope that parties will advocate on their behalf. This is perfectly democratic. Unregulated donations are not.
With their billions of dollars in personal wealth, the voice of Koch is louder than the voice of an everyday citizen. This scenario strays far from the “all men are created equal” ideal fought for in the American revolution against a tyrannical leader.
Today’s tyrants rule through the money in their pockets. The Koch brothers retreat was a tryout among potential presidential candidates in which donors decided whom they wanted to support and guide through the 2016 election. The competition occurred behind closed doors, financed by the money that will shape this coming election.
In 2012, Adelson, a Las Vegas casino owner, bankrolled Newt Gingrich, an unpopular candidate, with over $100 million in order to make him president of the United States. Adelson, much like many of these wealthy donors, sought to install his preferred candidate through a check, not a ballot box.
While elections and races are expensive — growing more so with each election — they need be run on the backs and hopes of the American people. The abuse of the political system by the Koch brothers and many like them is nothing new, but never has the system revolved so much around the political will of a wealthy few.