The United States democracy was founded to ensure the government would be representative of its constitutes. Democrats being able to buy their way into the election defeats the purpose of democracy and corrupts the process in many ways.
On Dec. 3 Senator Kamala Harris announced the suspension of her presidential campaign; however, in her statement she clarified that she did not have the financial resources and could not fund the campaign herself. Harris was honest in her statement and approached it in a respectable matter, promising the American people she will continue fighting for their country.
While Harris could not fund her own campaign, two candidates are grand donors to their personal political agenda. Billionaires Tom Steyer and Mayor Micheal Bloomberg have spent more of their personal finances on themselves than most grassroots campaigns receive in a month.
Steyer, for example, has spent an estimated 100 million dollars on commercials while receiving two million in donations through the third quarter. Bloomberg was not much different, having spent 57 million dollars on commercials in the past week, with the amount of money raised for his candidacy being unknown.
Steyer has not gained traction in the polls. The NY Times recorded that Steyer was currently polling at less than one percent. Senior Roger Pavey commented on while he admired Steyer, “his overwhelming income has carried him through debates, not the support of the public,” said Pavey.
Andrew Yang, another candidate still in the race, has raised 15.1 million dollars, yet has not qualified for the December debate in which Steyer has.
Other Democrat candidates have expressed their feelings toward the wrongdoing of buying one’s way into a race. Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a widespread email to her supporters stated, “Our democracy should not be for sale, and yet, billionaires have been able to use their money to try to buy this election outright.”
The United States democracy deserves better. It deserves candidates who respect the idea of democracy.
Senator Harris made the right decision in suspending her campaign, acknowledging the corrupt idea of candidates buying their way into the election without public support. The idea of candidates spending their own money exemplifies billionaires’ power in the US, and therefore makes the government dissimilar to those it represents.
Congress should pass a bipartisan legislative bill preventing candidates from being their own donor. Limiting candidates’ abilities to spend their own money on campaigns will bring the election back into the hands of the American people.
It is time for Congress to put an end to candidates’ abilities to buy their presidency: a mockery of democracy.
