When did our government cease to be of the people, by the people and for the people? I was hit hard during my 2022 run for governor with the stark realization that the political parties, the media and the pollsters have a death grip on the political process. Money and power are their motivation. They have the power to define and control who the “viable” candidates are and who the voters will be allowed to hear. They exercise it ruthlessly.
The Republican Party just released the criteria for participation in the first presidential primary debate they will be hosting in Milwaukee in August. Candidates must poll at 1% in multiple national polls “recognized by the Republican National Committee”. Some polling in early-voting states will also count. They must have 40,000 unique donors in 20 different states with at least 200 unique donors per state. Candidates will be required to pledge their support to the eventual nominee.
The New York Times called the donor threshold “a consequential and costly barrier to some underfunded candidates” or “lesser-known candidates.”
The Democratic Party is all in for Joe Biden and will stop at nothing to secure his re-election. He is obviously feeble, demented, and corrupt, but whoever is pulling the strings believes he is the Party’s best option for advancing the liberal agenda that is destroying our country. He has two challengers, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., son of Robert F. Kennedy and nephew of John F. Kennedy, and Marianne Williamson, a well-known author. The Democratic Party made it clear they will not sponsor any primary debates, despite Kennedy already polling around 20% in multiple polls. The media conspire freely with the Party to discount Kennedy, calling him the “anti-COVID vaccination candidate” and a conspiracy theorist. The rare media personality who will provide Kennedy a forum faces intense backlash from liberals. Michael Smerconish recently quipped, when inviting Kennedy to come back after hosting him in a town hall, “if I still have a job”. When Kennedy speaks, he’s thoughtful, well-informed, and willing to call out destructive policies and people of the Democratic Party. They will do everything in their power to prevent voters from evaluating him for themselves.
Two interesting candidates have emerged in the Republican field. Vivek Ramaswamy is an American entrepreneur. He had a middle-class upbringing in Ohio and got rich investing in Biotech start-ups. Doug Burgum has been the Governor of North Dakota since 2016. Prior to his run for governor, he mortgaged a piece of farmland he inherited from his dad and started a very successful software company. He sold it to Microsoft for over $1 billion. Both of these men differentiate themselves from other candidates with their straight talk on the issues people care about including freedom, the economy, inflation, border protection, crime, the weaponization of government, foreign engagement and much more. They’ve been tested and succeeded in the private sector and have a track record to show for it. It’s striking that the same national media that doesn’t have the time of day for Kennedy has given significant airtime to Ramaswamy and Burgum. What’s their agenda? Neither of these candidates allow the media to control the narrative when they are interviewed. They insist on talking about the issues they believe are important to the American people and they don’t dance around them trying to find a politically safe place. Ramaswamy mopped the floor with Chuck Todd during a recent Meet the Press airing. Burgum was clear and unwavering when he appeared on Face the Nation.
Money in politics is a significant contributor to our current decline. Changing this will be a steep uphill climb. I do not donate to politicians or political parties, but I’m making an exception this election cycle. I’m sending Ramaswamy and Burgum the paltry sum of $5. They don’t need my money to run their campaigns. They’re both flush with cash. However, the parties control access to the debate stage and they will use the number of donors to create a barrier to the “lesser known”. I want to hear more from Ramaswamy and Burgum. They say what they think without regard for political concerns and, in doing so, will raise the bar for all candidates. Let’s amplify their voices.
