Jimmy Carter: The U.S. Is an "Oligarchy With Unlimited Political Bribery"
Former president Jimmy Carter said Tuesday on the nationally syndicated radio show the Thom Hartmann Program that
the United States is now an “oligarchy” in which “unlimited political
bribery” has created “a complete subversion of our political system as a
payoff to major contributors.” Both Democrats and Republicans, Carter
said, “look upon this unlimited money as a great benefit to themselves.”
the United States is now an “oligarchy” in which “unlimited political
bribery” has created “a complete subversion of our political system as a
payoff to major contributors.” Both Democrats and Republicans, Carter
said, “look upon this unlimited money as a great benefit to themselves.”
Carter was responding to a question from Hartmann about recent Supreme Court decisions on campaign financing like Citizens United.
Transcript:
HARTMANN: Our Supreme Court has now said, “unlimited
money in politics.” It seems like a violation of principles of
democracy. … Your thoughts on that?
CARTER: It violates the essence of what made America a great country
in its political system. Now it’s just an oligarchy, with unlimited
political bribery being the essence of getting the nominations for
president or to elect the president. And the same thing applies to
governors and U.S. senators and congress members. So now we’ve just seen
a complete subversion of our political system as a payoff to major
contributors, who want and expect and sometimes get favors for
themselves after the election’s over. … The incumbents, Democrats and
Republicans, look upon this unlimited money as a great benefit to
themselves. Somebody’s who’s already in Congress has a lot more to sell
to an avid contributor than somebody who’s just a challenger.
