Money in politics strips power from the people

Whether liberal or conservative, progressive or regressive and regardless of your party affiliation, if you think your votes in November will make any difference to Congress, well, good luck with that.

There is a reason Congress has a job disapproval rating of 80 percent. The institution is corrupt. Our representatives and senators, as honorable as most of them are, can't possibly do the people's work. Not when they have to spend 30 percent to 70 percent of their time fundraising and are obligated to their benefactors.

It‘s expected that Obama will amass a re-election war chest of $1 billion. He has to. The caucus has already shown us the power of super political action committees and those lovely hidden gifts of 501(c) 4s. To be competitive, the president simply has no choice. The Republican candidate will have to do the same, as will all who run for Congress. When the smoke clears, who do you think will have access? Whose concerns will rise to the top of the legislative priority list?

It is time for us to take our Congress back. Back from K Street. It is time for a Constitutional amendment to get money out of politics. I encourage all to read: “Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress and a Plan to Stop It” by Lawrence Lessig. Then go to www.rootstrikers.org and/or www.unitedrepublic.org and join the fight to end our reps' dependency on special interests money. After all, our founders always meant this to be a government of the people. If not now, when? If not you, who?

Terry Feltes

Cedar Rapids