If you are not a celebrity or a billionaire, then about the only way to get elected is to move up through the ranks of the Democratic or Republican party. Of course in order to get the support of your party and the money that comes with it; you will need to prove your loyalty. Once in office I'm sure that a little quid pro quo would be expected for the money for your campaign. This could be a vote on a bill that is favorable to the donors or maybe appointing a friend to one of the many cushy political appointment positions in government. And if you decide that you don't want to play the game, then you can expect a lot less money and a lot fewer endorsements for your next election attempt.

The lobbyist have created a government unto themselves and they have become the real power behind the throne of our elected representatives. If we are to try and end corruption in government, and get a government that listens primarily to the voice of the governed, then we need to drastically reduce the power of the lobbyist. The best way to do this would be through publicly financed campaigns. By using public funds for campaigns, we will drastically reduce the ability of lobbyist to influence the government. People who are not a part of the political establishment or a rich celebrity would finally have a chance to make their voice heard. And maybe we would see the rise of a true third party that would represent main stream America and would not be held hostage by the extremist on both the Left and Right of the political spectrum.

Of course we could not expect to get the Democrats or Republicans to support this idea. It would threaten their power base and make them vulnerable to losing elections to popular independent candidates. It would however make our government more democratic.

- Thomas Paine 2

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