Saying No to Special Interests

Op-Ed

Saying NO to Special Interests

Washington is broken. Why? One of the biggest reasons, in my opinion, is the incredible influence of special interests over our politicians. When our government is controlled by the powerful, the people lose out.

I've worked in a lot of countries around the world and anywhere else, they would call our campaign financing system what it is: corruption. When private interests give money to public officials for personal and private gain, that is corruption. I have seen the faces of corruption in West Africa and Afghanistan, and also in our politicians in Washington—from both parties.

The sad truth of our political system is that corporations can now get a better return on their investment by lobbying Congress than by putting those dollars into research and development. That's when middle class families pay the price for Washingon's corruption.

No other situation best reflects this broken system than the economic crisis we find ourselves in today. For years, the banking and lending lobbyists held massive sway over politicians in both parties. They asked for more deregulation so they could get away with playing high-stakes poker with our pensions and college savings. They asked for the ability to give high-risk mortgages to people who couldn't afford to pay them back. And what did the politicians in Washington do? Gave them everything they asked for. Now we're left cleaning up a mess that could have been prevented if our representatives were standing up for the public interest, not the special interest. Everyone talks tough now, but where were they when it mattered?

Another example is the energy crisis. The car companies can make more money buying off politicians than building more fuel-efficient cars and trucks. That's why my truck gets only 13 miles to the gallon when we have the technology to get 30 miles to the gallon. The drug companies and HMOs write the healthcare and prescription drug bills, and the oil companies write the energy bills. Time and time again, our elected officials have sided with lobbyists and corporate campaign contributors, while middle class families foot the bill.

That's why I have refused all contributions from lobbyists and corporate PACs. We have raised all of our money from individuals—people like you—so that when I get to Washington, you are the only people I am accountable to. Believe me, it's not easy raising over a million dollars in $10 and $25 increments, but that's the choice I've made so that I can fight for you in Washington.

We need individuals with integrity to run for office and do the right thing by rejecting lobbyist money. But it's up to you, the people, to decide if you are willing to stand up for our democracy and take it back from the powerful, or allow a broken system to run amok in Washington.

Tom Perriello is the Democratic candidate for Congress in Virginia's Fifth District. You can find out more about his campaign at www.PerrielloForCongress.com or by visiting one of our eight district offices in: Appomattox, Bedford, Charlottesville, Danville, Farmville, Martinsville, Moneta, and South Hill.

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