Elections, are they clean?

ELECTIONS: ARE THEY CLEAN?
ANALYSIS AND APPRAISAL

It is very difficult, in our very capitalistic political environment,(Republicans as well as Democrats)to believe that when someone donates millions of dollars to a political campaign, such donor or organization will NOT REQUEST A PAYBACK OR A FAVOR from the candidate.

I remember, not long ago, during an election for councilmen for the City of McLean, Virginia, a very honest and well-liked by almost the whole community hardware store owner, lost the election due to the lack of funds. He decided that if the voting public was going to elect him to the City Council, they would do it as a matter of principle. It did not happen and he did not get elected. The excuses were numerous and none of them valid with regard to POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS.

Such election, for a CITY, NOT EVEN A COUNTY, position at that time, cost more than 100 thousand dollars. The salary of the Councilman was $8,000 per year. Now, how in a devil can the elected Councilman pay for the contributions?. . . Your answer, whatever is it has to be true, because it will be paid by improving the City, it will be paid by building more football fields, to ADVANCE EDUCATION, or it will be paid by . . . Let's say small favors.

In this present elections GAME, every time that it is published that millions, I repeat millions, not thousands, but millions of dollars contributed to each one of the candidates, such contributors are doing it because of principles or because they really believe in the cause that the candidates are fighting for.

There are no great differences between the candidates from one party or the other; obviously the two stronger parties, Democrats and Republicans, when it comes to money and it so patent that our elections are directly related to money, much more than principle.

We are directed to believe that one candidate or the other has in their hearts and minds the welfare of the general population, not a special group. Then how do we explain that big donors CONTRIBUTE JUST AS WELL TO THE DEMOCRATS AS TO THE REPUBLICANS, IN A SIMILAR WAY THAT ATHLETES CHANGE FROM, LET'S SAY THE REDSKINS TO THE DALLAS COWBOYS. Is it for love or loyalty, come on . . . For MONEY.

I have no great complaints regarding our CAPITALISTIC way of life. I live here and enjoy the fruits of capitalism. However, I never forget our SOCIALISTIC traits also, despite the fact that the word SOCIALISM is a dirty word among the majority of red blooded Americans.

Nevertheless, we have to remember that our Social Security, which in many cases supports our economy paying for wars and other NON-SOCIAL SECURITY ISSUES is a very clear part of what we have decided not to call SOCIALISM. Welfare, food stamps, some parts of education, and the little that is left of health assistance is Socialism, as are our libraries, post office, police and fire protection. Our Armed Forces are organized in a Socialistic general way. But we are so afraid to call our America a partly Socialistic country, that we totally ignore the word "Socialism" and its meaning.

We are appalled when we receive news from other countries and their ways regarding elections. If any one has the guts to explain HOW our elections are being run and when are the citizen's majority votes counted more than the famous/infamous delegates' votes I will have no reason to consult with a psychologist. Otherwise, we have made the elections game a joke and a great confusion that is so that when most of us approach the voting booths, our blood pressure raises and A LOT OF VOTERS try to GET THE HELL OUT THE BOOTHS to avoid confusion and stress.

There are explanations, of course. The delegates represent each state and there are as many delegates as the number of voters in such a State . . . So where is the confusion? It appears to be a clear issue that follows ELECTORAL RULES AND REGULATIONS, but does it happen as it is so clearly explained? . . . Give me a break! I have not found a single person who is clear regarding our election maneuvers or the way that we make such a mess out of something that should be SIMPLE and INEXPENSIVE . . . Do we really need such a large number of voting machines that many people dislike and cannot work? In states such as Florida, well known for IRREGULARITIES in almost every way of life, what an issue is related to regulations and authorities, voting is the most complicated pile of vulgarities and irregularities.

To start with, we, or I, will bet that perhaps we as a country hold more elections than any other country in the world. In my particular case, the great metropolitan area of MIAMI/DADE has more municipalities than any other part of the civilized world that I know. Almost every ten mills there is a Municipality with a Mayor, Councilmen, a Police Force and Bureaucrats receiving salaries, pensions and benefits. Hell, the Directors of the University HAVE A GREATER SALARY THAN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. In the end, we the voters have to VOTE MANY TIMES EVERY YEAR and most of the time there is no time to learn which of the candidates will be more irregular than the previously elected one. But we pay and pay with poor benefits.

I should not complain because it also happened in THE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD (as far as the power of the country goes) Washington D.C., where its elected Mayor created a colorful panorama because of "SOME IRREGULARITIES" but then "THEY WERE ALSO ELECTED BY OUR FAMOUS POPULAR VOTE". . . I HAVE NOT MENTIONED Chicago or New Orleans . . . forget TEXAS . . .

NO, there is something definitely wrong with our system and the ones who were sacrificed are people such poor Al Gore (I am not a Democrat, thus please do not think that I am trying to favor either party). As far as I know, Al Gore was elected by the majority of the American voters, but he is not in the White House, is he?

Hilary Clinton confirms that her campaign cost her or her family or someone (usually unknown in such cases) millions of dollars. That, of course, she will not have to pay, someone else will of course do it. And Obama has a record of "CONTRIBUTIONS" in millions of dollars. It is being announced that such money, I repeat, Obama's campaign, millions of dollars are "THE DOLLAR CONTRIBUTION OF REGULAR PEOPLE WHO PERHAPS ARE USING THEIR FOOD MONEY FOR A RIGHT CAUSE" . . . I SAY, RIGHT CAUSE, MY FOOT. IT IS SO CLEAR THAT EACH ONE OF THE CANDIDATES COMPROMISES himself/herself by receiving big amounts of money from people or corporations or whatever, that IN THE END WILL HAVE TO ASK FOR FAVORS, SPECIAL LEGISLATION, OR OTHER NOT VERY CLEAR ISSUES THAT, PERHAPS GO UNDER THE TABLE.

McCain is also receiving great amounts of money and all of the donors claim that such LARGE AMOUNTS OF DOLLARS ARE BEING USED FOR CAMPAIGN EXPENSES. Expenses, who are they kidding?

A proper election is supposed to be run with limited funds. It was so ruled: BUT WHO OBEYS REGULATIONS? Not the poor hard working John or Jane or the rich industrialist. Rules are made to be broken, and broken they are.

SO WHAT IS IT THAT I AM TRYING SO DESPERATELY TO CONVEY TO YOU?

I SAY, LET'S STOP THIS SILLY PSUEDO PURITANISTIC GAME AND ADMIT THAT:

WE ARE A CAPITALISTIC COUNTRY AND WE ENJOY BEING ONE. AT LEAST I DO AND I WILL DEFEND
THAT WE HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SOCIALISM THAT HAS TO BE ADMITTED AS SUCH
AND THAT OUR ELECTIONS COULD BE BETTER RUN WHEN CONTRIBUTIONS ARE ACCEPTED WITH THE PROMISE THAT THEY HAVE TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR AND ACCOMPANIED WITH A SWORN STATEMENT THAT THE CANDIDATE PROMISES THAT HE/SHE WILL NOT GIVE SPECIAL FAVORS TO THE BIG CONTRIBUTORS, HIS FAMILY, OR HIS FRIENDS.

THEN PERHAPS WE WILL BE A TRUE DEMOCRATIC, CAPITALISTIC, SOCIALISTIC SOCIETY AND ANY OTHER ISTIC COUNTRY WHERE THE TRUTH IS HONORED AND WHERE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE DECIDED TO STOP DECEIVING THEMSELVES AND HONORING TRUTH, HONESTY, AND HONORABILITY.

Alejandro "ElCondor' Arce

A bona fide American citizen and a voting taxpayer