Anti-Corruption Party

Money must be removed from politics

Never has it been quite so obvious than these last few elections, that America has a serious problem with too much money going into political campaigns. It isn’t one sided either. Both Democrats and Republicans gorge themselves at the trough of big money. This money isn’t free, it comes at the cost of doing political favors while in office. Citizen’s United and other major decisions from the supreme court have only opened the flood gates to even more cash, by somehow labeling money as speech and corporations as people. We could not be more opposed to such absurdity.

The Anti-Corruption Party stands firmly against this endless deluge of donor cash into our politics. It has gotten so bad, that the policies that normal Americans want to see enacted, are never even brought up for debate. When they do get brought up, they are immediately voted down, or stuffed full of pork that it becomes farcical. The American people need their government to work for them, not the billionaire class. We thank Bernie Sanders for tirelessly speaking out in this fight for our democracy.

So, what we are going to do is:

1. Add an amendment to the constitution that invalidates the decisions that money is speech and that corporations are people. Include provisions for what is written below.

2. Formalize a judicial code of ethics and ban gifts to judges. Codify any missing pieces from the constitution as it is written to include rules regarding taking of anything with economic value for any official. This also applies indirectly, like “donations” to a charity run by an official of the US or anyone in close relation to them. Replace the two conservative justices on the supreme court, Thomas and Alito, who seem to be doing the bidding of their benefactors, rather than upholding the constitution.

3. Make campaigns publicly funded. Constrain the election season to 12 weeks prior to election date. Limit campaign expenditures. Eliminate self-funding of campaigns.

4. Enforce FEC laws that can be applied wherever possible.

5. Add legislation mandating donor records and requiring extreme transparency into campaign finances.

6. Make lobbying what it should be: a consensual conversation with no strings attached and no money exchanging hands. This also includes eliminating favors and cushy positions outside of politics.

7. Clamp down on foreign influence on elections, including social media.

We realize that there probably are many more loopholes and games being played that we have failed to mention above. There will be a more comprehensive final piece of legislation to finally contain this problem once and for all. Sadly, these policies will likely be the prime reason that the ACP will draw so much ire from both existing parties. It’s ok, we welcome their hatred as a badge of honor.