Democracy of Dollars: Where Natural and Constitutional Rights Go To the Highest Bidder

Americas Democracy of Dollars is about a legal problem we have today in America. But it is not a law book written for lawyers. Nor is it a political book taking sides with either conservatives or progressives. It is a book written for us Americans to aid us in understanding a problem that affects each of us so each of us can chose to do something about it.It is also a book about context not theory. What is the context of our times?As a society we have morphed from a Democracy of People into a Democracy of Dollars. Two political institutions of our federal government the Legislative and the Executive Branches designed to protect and serve all Americans have become servants to special interests who in todays pricey politics have bought their way to the head of the line.But our national government has a co-equal third institution the Judiciary Branch the federal judiciary headed by the Supreme Court. The Judiciary Branch is intended by our Constitutions Framers to be independent and non-political - and most important the Judiciary Branch is intended to provide a check and balance on the other two Branches. However in todays Democracy of Dollars that mission has been failing. Our Supreme Court must assume a different role a role it occupied in the past when times were equally as difficult and uncertain as todays times.What does all this have to do with you and me? We dont vote for federal judges theyre appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. However public influence over time has a dynamic effect on the Court. Over time in response to public outcries unmet human needs and changing circumstances the Court has among its accomplishments modernized the definition of cruel and unusual punishment and perhaps in its most shinning hour decided that separate but equal education facilities do not provide black children with an equal education.In this book we illustrate the Democracy of Dollars plight we face through three examples: First we focus on the Supreme Courts deference through judge-made rules to the two political branches of government particularly the Executive Branch the effect of which is to deny too many people their Rights. Then we focus on the plight of voters whose effectiveness is diluted by partisan gerrymandering. Finally we focus on the effect of our Legislative Branchs uncontrolled delegation to the Executive Branch which has resulted in the unfettered growth of our Fourth Branch of government the administrative state creating the Era of Presidential Administration driven by lobbies and special interests and not the will of the People. These examples led to the important conclusion: we each must be involved citizens.Americas Democracy of Dollars is a call to action to each of us. We can and we must influence the return of America to a Democracy of People. That effort requires each of us to pitch in and help.