What does the phrase, “buying the election” mean? It seems kind of hyperbolic. I mean, we each have a mind, right? We each have a vote. Nobody can buy that. But I’m finally understanding it, I think. The other day I was singing to my eleven-month-old granddaughter one of our favorites, “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah!” I thought she might enjoy hearing the original. I looked it up on my computer to play it for her, and before it would play, I had to listen to vitriol from a snotty, self-important actor payed to smear politicians on the “other side,” and anyone who might agree with them. The same smirk leered out at us before “Bare Necessities!” and “The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Music!”
Buying the election means when someone or a small group of someones has enough money that they can fill everyone’s ears and eyes and nostrils and throats and guts with messages in every media, and pay for that night and day without it making a dent in what they own. When anyone tries to run against this bottomless reserve of money, they must do so by asking thousands of people all to continue to give money to somehow match the unlimited amount being spent by those attempting to “buy the election.” This, by definition, is impossible, yet still urgently necessary.
That overwhelms the lines of communication in such a way that people who aren’t paying close attention fall for their incessant message. “Gee! If people care so much about this that they are urging me to vote this way no matter where I turn, even on Disney videos, it must be the right thing.”
Or people are sickened unto death from being inundated by this tsunami of unending “Yes-sir!” “No-sir!” screaming from every direction. Those fall by the wayside, throwing up their hands in disgust, vowing never to vote again.
In this election it isn’t even the candidates themselves who have the deep pockets. It is a small group of people with extremely, vastly “unlimited” resources — so unlimited that they are making a blitz not only here in Alaska, but all across the nation at once. When they get their way, they’ll make all that money back in a week or two by owning the government and the banks and whatever else they want to own, short-sheeting the “little people” to their heart’s content. As a bonus, they will have bankrupted those who tried to fight back with their meager little piggy banks. Done deal!
“My, oh, my! What a wonderful day!”
Fortunately, in Alaska (so far, at least) we each have a mind, and we each have a vote! They can’t buy that. I pray we’ll keep it that way! Vote your mind!
