Bernie Sanders: “Some may think the discussion of campaign finance reform is esoteric--not related to the real day to day problems and…”

“Some may think the discussion of campaign finance reform is esoteric--not related to the real day to day problems and concerns of ordinary people. Wrong. If we are concerned to know why this country has the most unfair distribution of wealth in the industrialized world, and why the richest person in this country owns more wealth than the bottom 40 percent of our population-then you are talking about campaign finance reform, and the role that big money plays in the political process. If you want to know why last year Congress gave huge tax breaks for the rich and large Corporations, and then proceeded to cut Medicare by 115 billion dollars--then you are talking about campaign reform, and the role that big money plays in the political process. If you want to know why this country spends more money per capita on health care than any other industrialized country, and why 40 million Americans have no health insurance at the same time as insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies make huge profits--then you are talking about campaign finance reform and the role that big money plays in the political process. And on and on it goes. The rich get richer, the middle class shrinks and we have the highest rate of childhood poverty in the industrialized world-and big money plays a major role in determining the agenda of both political parties. Mr. Speaker, the current campaign finance system is obscene and the situation is becoming worse and worse everyday.”