In my opinion, two issues which overshadow all other issues: media reform and public financing of political campaigns. Why?

Without these two reforms, public information will continue to be dishonest information. The media and those running for national public office will continue to present a picture warped by corporate (purely financial) interests. This is a recipe for disaster. Corporations “care” about making money. Corporations don’t care about individual liberties, except to the extent that it helps them make more money. I’m not saying that the people who work for corporations are necessarily moral monsters. I’m only saying that when those (often good and decent) people are sitting behind their corporate desks, they know that their primary job is to make the balance sheet look good.

Corporate power in both of these arenas, then, should be minimized. Instead, they dominate. Currently, big corporate money determines what is news and what isn’t. Big corporate money tells us who will run for national office and who won’t. It’s that simple.

When we vote in November, it admittedly feels like a choice. But it is always a choice between two candidates who have been pre-chosen based on their abilities to beg for enough corporate money to get their messages out. The People vote only after big corporate money chooses. Why else do most national candidates from both parties take huge donations from most of the same big corporations. Corporations have bought “access” with that big money. And the more “access” they have, the less you and I have. Here’s a clear statement of the problem. and here’s the website of Public Campaign, which includes much more detailed information about why we need to end the current system of legalized bribery.

I’ve decided to take the time to point out major candidates who have staked clear positions in favor of A) Media Reform and B) Public Financing of Campaigns. I’ll be keeping a tally in the coming months. Last week I attended a press conference of Dennis Kucinich, where he strongly supported both reforms.

Today’s featured candidate is John Edwards, who unmitigatedly supports public financing of political campaigns, as indicated by the excerpt from a town hall meeting:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhuhWxFSRCw&mode=related&search[/youtube]