Much has been written about the Citizens United debacle, but it’s usually either based in the abstract or focused on the huge amounts of money being dumped into the dark abyss that is campaign financing.  As too often happens, the spotlight is on the big money shadow donors, seldom on how this travesty effects those of us who are middle income and below. 

Today, this post is about only one of the ways it negatively impacts the largest segment of our citizenry.  Some up, close and personal examples of Citizen’s United elementary truth and consequences include:

Edna is a retired cafeteria worker, who has to survive on an annual income of under $22,000.00.  For the past nine months, she has had oatmeal for dinner two nights a week so that she can contribute $25.00 a month to the re-election of President Obama.   It was either this or forgoing her weekly coffee klatch with her friends.

Richard is a veteran of Iraq.  Both his body and psyche will forever endure the mental, emotional and physical scars of his service to our country.  He is no longer able to work construction due to his injuries, but feels lucky to find a job (thru his previous union) that provides him with a base income of $33,000.00 a year.  He strongly supports both Obama and his home state’s U.S. Senator who is also up for re-election.  The senatorial candidate cannot come close to matching his opponents funding from outside PAC’s (courtesy of CU).  Richard, wanting to level the field, at least in some small way, turns down overtime so he can work the phones and solicit more support for his choice who is also a veteran.  He figures so far this year he’s lost about $4000.00 in OT wages, but he has been able to raise over a hundred thousand for the campaign.  As a result of the loss of income, during the cold weather months, he keeps his home’s thermostat at 60 degrees and wears thermal underwear to reduce heating expenses.

 “It makes me so angry that while many serve in our country’s military to protect democracy, here at home the very core of it is being destroyed.  I’m pretty sure there weren’t any corporations, political pundits or rich, old white guys by my side over there getting maimed or killed; risking their own lives to protect the very foundation they are tearing apart.  It makes no sense to me.  How did this happen?”

Mac and Dottie are in their fifties. He is on SS disability and she manages a dental office.  They live frugally; he’s a bargain shopper and she’s a champion coupon clipper.  They have little in savings and their house won’t be paid off for another ten years.  Their two grown kids are having a tough time too.  This couple has always believed they had a responsibility to be informed voters and tried to be wise about their voting choices.  Over their lifetimes they have voted for both Republican and Democrat candidates, but for the past decade have supported only Independents and/or Democrats.  They are spittin’ mad over Citizen’s United and are stalwart in their opinion that the rich are trying to pervert democracy.  Their challenge was to figure out how they could ‘put at least our two cents in, since the bottom line is while our donations are paltry compared to the Koch’s and the like, we’re hoping that it will show people like us matter and can contribute too’. 

To achieve their goal, Dottie sews quilts to sell (she also makes them for fundraisers for Vets) and Mac makes quilt stands to sell too.  They donate every penny to Obama and other candidates who join them in their contempt for CU as well as supporting ObamaCare and other social programs.  To date, they are out of pocket almost $1000.00 for supplies.  Because of the monies raised from their wares, they have contributed $5k to Obama and over $5k to half a dozen other congressional contenders.  Dottie figures she can make do another year with her winter coat (she’s sown up the lining so at least it doesn’t hang below the coat) and hopefully their twelve year old car won’t need any more repairs.

Now, I believe it’s accurate to declare that when those contributing their tens of thousands (even millions) of dollars to the PAC’s, whether anonymously or openly, they don’t need to do without food, new coats or to wear layers of clothing in their homes because they turned down their thermostat to reduce their heating costs.

We can only hope the irony is not lost, at least by some, that Citizen’s United, while put in place in an attempt to deliver even more riches and power to the 1%, also initiated a multi-pronged assault against the majority of our society.  Those who have the least are now at risk to lose the most. 

Of course, there are those of the middle and lower classes who will vote for candidates who endorse Citizen’s United and feel no compunction to donate much, if any, to their candidates as their campaign coffers are already overflowing compliments of CU.

When we continue to only consider the ‘big picture’ without taking into consideration all the moving parts of an issue, we will remain unable to acknowledge all the elements that make the whole.  Thus, too often we miss what may well be, and often is, the most critical components of the equation. 

If Obama and other candidates, who without the support of the shadow contributors, do prevail, none should consider that their efforts are the sole, or even the core, reason.  In reality, the people who have and continue to sacrifice and contribute much more than money will be the true heroes.

Yes, their five dollars is truly worth more than the five thousand of any whose weapon of choice is their advocacy and participation in the travesty that is Citizen’s United.