Shirley Williams has been writing for the Independent about the pernicious influence of big money in politics in the US. She writes about the huge amounts of money being poured into Republican campaigns, how this clearly gives them advantages in access to the voters through the media. More worryingly, she outlines what appears to be a strategic approach of using the courts to abolish funding limits and of gerrymandering congressional districts to again give themselves an advantage at the expense of others.

She gives a very stark warning about why this is a bad thing. We need to think that we have a realistic chance of getting rid of our government if we don’t like them. A politics where you have to have the backing of the stinking rich to succeed is not exactly likely to benefit all and will lead to disillusionment:

Negative campaigning has badly affected voter turnout in the United States, as has the sense that money determines election outcomes. In the 2014 mid-term elections, the most expensive ever, voter turnout was the lowest for seven decades at 36.3 per cent nationwide. In 12 states – including New York, California and Texas – not even a third of the electorate bothered to vote. Cynicism and apathy are killing democracy.

It is imperative in a democracy that those opposed to the government of the day can cherish the prospect of peacefully changing its leaders and its policies. Otherwise the alternatives are some form of violent action, a revolution or a coup.

She praises the UK system of giving special status to the Opposition and the British obligation to ensure balanced coverage, at least during an election period. However, with big money becoming as important here and the Conservatives’ ability to outspend all-comers, politics is a pretty scary prospect at the moment. Few watch the very worthy political programmes on the BBC. Most people will see billboards everywhere showing Alex Salmond picking your pocket.

The article is pretty shocking in outlining what should be seen as outrageous abuses of a democratic system;

Republicans have waged a successful campaign to improve their position at the Congressional level too. In many states, turnout in such elections is low and a well-organised and funded campaign can carry the day. In the US, the boundaries of Congressional districts are determined by state legislatures, not by an independent boundaries commission. In some states, boundaries have been gerrymandered to determine the outcome. For example, concentrating the votes of African Americans or Hispanic Americans in a few districts, to render others marginal. It is an activity in which both major parties engage, but once the boundaries have been agreed by the legislature, changing the political complexion of the state can become very difficult indeed. One political analyst told me that winning a majority in Congress was now close to impossible for the Democrats.

You can read Shirley’s article here.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron’s Musings