Bipartisan support protects monopoly of power

Those of you who listen to Fish & Ships and read this blog are well aware of my distaste for the two political parties that have a stranglehold on this country. That's why I laugh when polls show that people want "change" yet they support a Republican or Democratic candidate. The differences between the two parties are more a matter of words than deeds. And no one knows this better than the big money special interests groups who fund the campaigns.

Take for example big business. While many believe big business spends most of its money on Republicans, the truth is it spends money on buying influence. An article on Politico.com entitled Business abandons GOP for Democrats, states;

• All 10 of the top-giving industries tracked by the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan money and politics watchdog group, are now donating more cash to Democrats than Republicans. A year ago, Republicans had the edge in six of the 10 sectors.

I am unaware of any significant change in direction by either party to warrant this change in direction by business, however, the only change business cares about is power. With political power shifting to Democrats, business bought back into the Democratic party. Of course, business never really abandoned the Democrats and it won't abandon the Republicans either. Instead both parties will put on show for the voters on their differences knowing that sooner or later they are both going to reap the rewards of power.

Which is why Republicans and Democrats (Repocrats or Democans?) work together to stop the one thing they fear the most, competition. In a post on The Turner Report, Randy Turner discusses steps being taken to make it more difficult for an independent to run for office in Missouri. Turner writes;

• HB 1310 would force independent candidates, who already face far more obstacles than Democrats and Republicans, to declare their candidacy months earlier to keep them from catching the entrenched party candidates off guard and forcing them to have to raise more money and inconvenience them.The first bill of this sort was proposed last year by Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, who had to spend thousands of dollars to fend off the independent candidacy of Kim Wright of Joplin in 2006. Nodler's bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Delbert Scott, R-Lowry City, who also faced a stiff challenge from independent Michael Holzknecht in 2006.

Although there really is no threat to our two party monopoly (Can you name the last third party candidate elected in Missouri?) at this time, those pesky independent candidates can costs the special interests more money. And the Repocrats don't want to let anyone else in on the business of power.