Money in Politics: What Can't Money Buy?
The political system in America was founded on democracy. Those ideal values that we hold true are increasingly threatened by the influence of money in our political system. The neo-political practice has become standard in modern American politics. Through the current system, where competition is highly encouraged, we have come to expect politicians to accept unlimited sums of money to win an election. This mindset has undermined the value of democracy in America, raising several questions --How many politicians accept money from PAC's and Super PAC's? Have their views changed after accepting money? Are they representing the will of their donors over the will of the people? Without further introspection we face an ethical dilemma of prioritizing money over people. Do we really value money so much that we attach a price tag to people's livelihoods? As the bourgeois say, "What can't money buy?" This presentation will look at the use of money in politics, specifically campaign finance. Also, it will discuss the ethical dilemma that politicians face and the choices they have to make. Finally, it will discuss possible solutions that we could enact to alleviate the problem.