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by craftkiller
15 days ago
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The issue isn't that people are trying to change people's minds. There are two issues here: First, the rich have unimaginably more power in changing people's minds. This isn't sitting down at a bar and having a chat with hank to try to convince him to vote on prop 99. It is the wealthy putting their opinions on your phone, television, and billboards, reminding you of it multiple times per day. If politics is truly a contest of ideas, then the playing field needs to be level so that the ideas can be evaluated fairly, rather than it simply being a contest of who can buy enough ad space to brainwash people to vote against their interests. Second, the wealthy don't have to change people's minds. They can purchase politicians by "donating" to them, going to million-dollar-per-plate dinners hosted by them, directly giving them money by staying in their hotels, etc. You don't have to convince a politician that they should vote on prop 99, you just need to pay them however much they want for their vote. If the wealthy had exactly as much power in politics as a fireman or nurse, then I'd be all for their participation. |
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If that was true everyone would love billionaires. I'm fascinated by the cluelessness of this assertion!
The actual research on campaign finance says that once you've managed to inform the voters about what you stand for and who you are, further spending does very little.
> simply being a contest of who can buy enough ad space to brainwash people to vote against their interests
This is the most anti democratic statement I've seen in a while!
If you think voters are such easily brainwashed fools, you can hardly be pro democracy!