Compassion in Politics: Christian Social Justice, Non-Profits, and Life Theology

One of my favorite movies is the classic “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”.  Its a favorite for millions because its stands for both professional decency and purity of the democratic process.  Its about people standing up for right in a world thats so often content with apathetic complacency.  What does this have to do with Hillary and even the future of the democratic process?  Well, one of Hillary’s first commercials to air for her 2008 campaign for the presidency is premised on “invisibility.”  Unfortunately, the commercial’s theme rings hollow because Hillary’s campaign leaves a gapping hole of invisibility insofar as it sups on the gravy train of big business interests.   So inevitably, if those dollars mean anything for the Hillary once she gets into office, that afforementioned “invisibility” is the American people and their democratically determined vote.   

Hillary is the only democratic frontrunner who won’t take a fundamental policy stand against the ongoing corporate corruption of the system.  While other candidates are working tirelessly to secure small dollar donations from regular folks, Hillary is taking significant portions of her campaign contributions from corporate big-wigs.  As someone whose spent the last two years in Washington DC, I find this corruption of the system troubling.  Its to sell dramatically short the accountability, ethicality, credibility, and democratic core of our system.

No force so wields power and so crushes democracy as the infectious poisons of toxic corporate monies.  Corporate corruption of our republican democracy makes the 2000 election stealing look like child’s play.  If invisibility is the criteria, what about American votes made entirely invisible by those with links to corporate lobbyists?  In fact to the extent that democracy and freedom hang in the balance, why isn’t this the baseline for being a democrat in the first place.  

If invisibility is the criteria, what about American votes made entirely invisible by those with links to corporate lobbyists?  Who is invisible now?  Why isn’t America more fed up about this democratic injustice?  In fact to the extent that democracy and freedom hang in the balance, why isn’t this the baseline for being a democrat in the first place.  

No longer should the Halliburtons and Enrons, and Exxons of the world be able to drive our politics.  When the interests of the working and middle class worker run up against the interest of corporations, are you willing to play Russian roulette with your rights and with the rights of millions?  What is the invasion of Iraq but the interest of lobbyist run amok.

 On issues of poverty, minority, health care, the war, and education, are you willing to let CEOs instead of voters determine the shape of our nation?  This is the challenge for the present and the future–it effects all the issues on the frontlines of public policy.  I guess after all, thats what “public” policy really means in a democratic America.

All candidates should decisive take a stand to say no to corporate money destroying our one person-one vote system of freedom and democracy.  And take stand to say no to a Guilded age run by corporate lobbyists and interests at the expense of real American people.

Hopefully we will listen to the words of Jefferson Smith before its too late:

 Get up there with that lady that’s up on top of this Capitol dome, that lady that stands for liberty. Take a look at this country through her eyes if you really want to see something. And you won’t just see scenery; you’ll see the whole parade of what Man’s carved out for himself, after centuries of fighting. Fighting for something better than just jungle law, fighting so’s he can stand on his own two feet, free and decent, like he was created, no matter what his race, color, or creed. That’s what you’d see. There’s no place out there for graft, or greed, or lies, or compromise with human liberties