Our indirect, representative democracy is dysfunctional today as our representatives in government are dependent on corporations and wealthy individuals to contribute money to their campaigns.

The problem now is that getting corporate and wealthy individuals to contribute is the primary requirement to get elected and re-elected. It should be really clear to everyone at this point that the government is running in responsiveness to big corporations, the wealthy and the MIC. We can't vote for peace, we can't vote for single payer, all of the popular issues of the people are trumped by the powerful. We have completely lost control of our democracy.

Public financing of elections today is an absolute requirement if we want our democracy back. But how do we finance it? Here's my suggestion. Tax the corporations and high income wealthy folks. After all, they are currently paying for campaigning. Design the tax so that it is cost neutral to the corporations and wealthy individuals. Take whatever they are spending today and collect it as a tax. Bur their response would be that this is not fair, as you are taking their money spending it on candidates and not giving them any control. Yes, absolutely and that's what democracy is all about.

The rich get to sit at the top of the economic pyramid to enjoy wealth. Today that includes political power to protect and expand that wealth. That should be way too much for a working democracy.

I realize that I am preaching to the choir, but I'd like people to think about my funding mechanism.