It's a popular and powerful feeling that we (the American people) have no influence in our government anymore. [b]WHY IS THAT?[/b] [url=http://scholar.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/mgilens/files/gilens_and_page_2014_-testing_theories_of_american_politics.doc.pdf]A Princeton University study (PDF)[/url] compared what the people wanted and what the government did. The results basically found [quote] The preferences of the average American appear to have only a miniscule, near-zero, statistically non-significant impact upon public policy. [/quote]This is and should be very troubling. What drives this? The answer is simple, [b][u]$$MONEY$$[/u][/b]. To win a Senate seat in 2014, candidates had to raise [b]$14,351 every single day[/b]. Just .05% of Americans donate more than $10,000 in any election, so it’s perfectly clear who candidates will turn to first, and who they’re indebted to when they win. With such a high amount of money required to attain an office, its no wonder that big money is catered to in our government. Our elected officials spend 30-70% of their time in office fundraising for the next election. When they’re not fundraising, they have no choice but to make sure the laws they pass keep their major donors happy — or they won’t be able to run in the next election. So what's in it for the political donors? In the last 5 years alone, the 200 most politically active companies in the US spent [b]$5.8 billion influencing our government with lobbying and campaign contributions.[/b] Those same companies got [b]$4.4 trillion in [u]taxpayer support[/u][/b] — earning a return of 750 times their investment. It's a vicious cycle of corruption, where congress doesn't care what the people think because they don't need to. -91% of the time the candidate with the most money wins the election -2/3 of political donations come from 0.2% of Americans With such a small number of people giving the majority of the money, and congress members seeking campaign funds 30%-70% of their time in office, its really not surprising that the people aren't representated anymore. [spoiler] https://represent.us/action/theproblem-4/ [/spoiler] Proposed solutions -I personally think that we need to impose spending limits on political campaigns, removing the need for billionaire donors, and removing the preferential treatment big money receives because of it. -I also think that PACs should be restricted in such a way that they are no longer useful. Example, outlaw them from purchasing any advertising for the 6 months prior to any election. With HEAVY penalties to both the PAC and the advertiser if this is violated. (Thanks to hoggs bison for reminding me of PACs and super PACs) -Super PACs also need actual fund raising limitations, and much stiffer and harsher penalties for violating regulations. [url=https://youtu.be/YuyYBE0mD-s]these monsters are the enablers of all this corruption.[/url][spoiler]thanks to neno is drunk for the video link[/spoiler] -Term limits on congress are also needed. Politician shouldn't be a lifelong career. [url=http://anticorruptionact.org/ ]The American Anti-Corruption Act[/url] sets a standard for city, state and federal laws that break money’s grip on politics: -Stop political bribery by making it illegal for elected officials to raise money from interests they regulate. This is huge. It's absurd that a person who regulates an industry can be given money from those in that industry to sway their opinion, instead of the facts and interest of the people swaying their opinion. -End secret money by mandating full transparency of all political spending. -Empower voters with an opt-in, individual tax rebate for small political donations. Discuss.