Will Obama Let Big Corporations Buy the Democratic Convention?
For most thoughtful observers, John McCain’s pretensions to independence from corporate power dissolved in the face of his initial decision to stock his campaign from stem to stern with lobbyists.
Yet Obama’s pledge to refuse special interest money and his ability to raise vast amounts from small contributors have led many to overlook the fact that his seed money of several million dollars came from Wall Street.
But Obama is now head of the Democratic Party, and the Democrats convention in Denver is inviting corporate donors to become "sponsors" of the convention, promising executives a "once in a lifetime" opportunity to rub shoulders with Democratic senators, members of Congress, and governors. According to The New York Times of June 7, donors who give $1 million or more are given access to all hospitality suites and private events, providing what one public interest group called, "special access to federal elected officials [and] national party leaders."
Perhaps fearing that some corporate officials might be as dense as the proverbial piano player at the whorehouse who claimed not to know what was going on upstairs, a brochure from the host committee proclaims that "this is a rare opportunity to play a leadership role in a substantive discussion on timely issues affecting your industry with … elected officials and members of the media."
We of the Nader Campaign invite Obama to throw open the doors of the convention, tip over the tables, and drive the money changers from the temple. We invite him to toss out the corporations and invite in the people, proclaiming a new Democratic Party, one in which the people will be the masters, and the corporations our servants.
And if nothing of the sort happens, we invite fellow progressives to come to the appropriate conclusion.
