In this case, I felt it more important to send a message to Republicans. I think they need to be punished at the polls for what they have done.
If they want me to consider them as viable candidates they had better start representing the people of this nation - and fight back against the corporations who have bought their votes.
There is no nice way of saying this. Our government is corrupt. I use to believe it was a minority of politicians who were corrupt. I now believe that a substantial amount of them are in fact corporate tools - and that they are highly concentrated in the Republican party.
Democrats have a better party at this point in time. I can promise you one thing though - If the shoe were on the other foot and the Democrats were mismanaging our country like Republicans currently are - I would punish them also.
Many of you are loyal party members. Please, for the sake of your party and our nation - don't ever let this party become like the Republican party is today. Campaign finance reform should be a top goal - and the ethics commitees should do their jobs again. There should be no "ethics truce". Declare war on any person - in any party - who violates the trust that we place in them.
George Allen has violated our trust. He is beloved by corporate lobbyists everywhere. He is a corporate tool - and he doesn't work for you. Today you can revoke his ability to violate our trust and to tarnish the reputation of his office.
I think campaign finance reform should be a high priority for us after the election.
I'm sick to death of seeing legislation for special interests/corporations and even obviously written by corporate lobbyists presented in congress and passed when we know there are studies and facts saying how damaging it would be, plus the representatives are absolutely flooded with calls for a "no" vote.
It is a violation of trust and the whole concept that our elected officials are there to serve and service means not their own personal coffers, their friends or their "ultra elite" super rich friends, it's us, the people.
I've heard the freedom of speech arguments. The Constitution doesn't grant corporations anything. It grants people rights. If people want to dig into their own pockets - with their own money - and donate I suppose that is their right. Corporations should be better regulated so that their money doesn't find its way into campaigns.
I take freedom of speech seriously, but I just don't think that corporations should have the same rights as people. Also, the airwaves are public property. Perhaps that property could be better used somehow. I've heard many arguments against that - but to be honest I think the people raising the argument like the status quo and don't want to fix the problem.
I don't have all the answers on this - but until we really tackle this problem head on, our country will be an aristocracy and not a democracy.