On Jan. 6, 2021, an armed mob, fueled by former President Donald Trump's false claims of electoral fraud, launched an attack on Capitol Hill which left five people dead and our democracy on a knife’s edge.
Many corporate and industry political action committees (PACs) such as Toyota, Cigna and AT&T publicly pledged to stop donating to elected GOP officials supporting Trump's election fraud claims. Yet, these corporate PACs reneged on their commitments in only six months, a reflection of “pay-to-play” politics in the U.S, where companies help fund the campaigns of elected officials for preferential treatment. By backing the campaigns of seditious GOP politicians, corporations demonstrate their willingness to chase their bottom lines, even at the cost of our democracy. Such a relationship leaves the American public feeling unheard and resentful. To weaken the sway of corporations over elected officials, states should adopt a democracy voucher program.
The pay-to-play nature of our politics undermines democracy by warping the relationship of politicians with their constituents, policy and broader U.S. ideals. Politicians should serve the people who elected them, and corporations should compete in the marketplace. In reality, companies and special interest groups intercede. Under the highly controversial Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, the Supreme court found that the government cannot cap independent campaign expenditures by corporations. This led to the creation of super PACs, which can receive unlimited funding from corporations, labor unions or individuals for independent political activity.
Before Citizens United, the government actively prevented collusion by prohibiting corporations and unions from donating or advocating for candidates. Now, outside interest groups use the opportunity to accrue unprecedented political influence. Despite the requirement that super PACs disclose their donors, many donors come from “dark money groups” that mask the fund’s origins and leave voters unaware about donors with ulterior motives of prioritizing corporations.
Both at the state and federal level, we should implement a new tool known as democracy vouchers to weaken the influence of companies over elections. Democracy vouchers were first implemented in Seattle to encourage people to participate in the democratic process in state elections such as legislators, officers and even federal offices such as the House and Senate. Through this program, voters are permitted to set aside funds to donate to their preferred candidates. In taking such a step, states could counter corporate political influence by raising voters' confidence in our democracy and giving them an opportunity to directly support their preferred candidates, rather than ceding all power to corporations.
Donations from companies leave candidates beholden to their donors after taking office, influencing campaign platforms and political careers. Inequality in this country is not just increasing in financial terms. Thanks to PACs and super PACs, the wealthy and corporations hold a significant sway in politics and undermine our democracy. While limiting expenditures of super PACs is unfeasible and would violate the Citizens United decision, democracy vouchers publicize all funds received by each candidate and allow citizens to take back some degree of control in the politicians that eventually hold office.
If we want to live up to our democratic ideals, federal and state governments should implement democracy voucher programs and trust-building campaigns to match. The profit incentives of corporations often contravene the public interest, so we must return political power in this country to where it belongs: in the hands of the American people.
The above editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel’s Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is composed of Rachel Broun, Kyle Chan-Shue, Sophia Ling, Demetrios Mammas, Daniel Matin, Daniela Parra del Riego Valencia, Sara Perez, Sophia Peyser, Ben Thomas, Chaya Tong and Leah Woldai.
