Have you ever, like me, found yourself wondering, while watching or listening to politicians on what passes for the news these days, “Who are these people?” Have you ever found yourself wondering what makes them tick?
Trust me, you’re not alone. Inquiring minds want to know.
Now, I’ve come up with an idea that may help us figure it out as we wend our way through the muck and mire of political web sites, press releases, official bios and and talk radio/TV.
But first let’s step back in time to the 1960’s in California, where I was cutting my teeth on a career in journalism. The most prominent legislator at that time was a gent called Jess Unrue, speaker of the California state assembly from 1961-69, backer of Robert Kennedy’s short-circuited presidential campaign, and ultimately a backer of anti-war presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago. Jess might not have been much good at getting elected himself, but he could get things done, and he was a blunt speaker. Perhaps his most infamous utterance was the candid reminder that “money is the mother’s milk of politics.” Couple that thought with “all politicians lie” and the famous Watergate advice from Deep Throat to “follow the money,” and you’re ready for NASCAR Politicians.
Busy schedule? Click here to keep up with Truthout with free email updates.
Here’s the idea: We’ve all see the clips of NASCAR drivers wearing their racing gear, all festooned with sponsors’ logos, as they give thanks to every sponsor while offering comments on how they managed to drive their way to victory.
The way I see it, it’s essential to know who politicians are and who is behind their actions, so why not make a law requiring all elected officials to wear NASCAR-style costumes with logos of all their sponsors prominently displayed. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to see at a glance who each politician is really working for?
As for those donors, they should be required to fly banners at all of their places of business with a list of all the politicians they’ve bought and paid for. Then you could decide whether you wanted to do business there or not. We could require lobbyists in DC to wear sweatshirts or T-shirts bearing their corporate logos when they’re wandering the halls of Congress distributing their cash wads, too.
They say seeing is believing, but in this case, once the logos are affixed, it will be seeing is not believing.
TOM THOMPSON is a recovering journalist. He lives in an RV at various locations around the Southwest.
Help us Prepare for Trump’s Day One
Trump is busy getting ready for Day One of his presidency – but so is Truthout.
Trump has made it no secret that he is planning a demolition-style attack on both specific communities and democracy as a whole, beginning on his first day in office. With over 25 executive orders and directives queued up for January 20, he’s promised to “launch the largest deportation program in American history,” roll back anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, and implement a “drill, drill, drill” approach to ramp up oil and gas extraction.
Organizations like Truthout are also being threatened by legislation like HR 9495, the “nonprofit killer bill” that would allow the Treasury Secretary to declare any nonprofit a “terrorist-supporting organization” and strip its tax-exempt status without due process. Progressive media like Truthout that has courageously focused on reporting on Israel’s genocide in Gaza are in the bill’s crosshairs.
As journalists, we have a responsibility to look at hard realities and communicate them to you. We hope that you, like us, can use this information to prepare for what’s to come.
And if you feel uncertain about what to do in the face of a second Trump administration, we invite you to be an indispensable part of Truthout’s preparations.
In addition to covering the widespread onslaught of draconian policy, we’re shoring up our resources for what might come next for progressive media: bad-faith lawsuits from far-right ghouls, legislation that seeks to strip us of our ability to receive tax-deductible donations, and further throttling of our reach on social media platforms owned by Trump’s sycophants.
We’re preparing right now for Trump’s Day One: building a brave coalition of movement media; reaching out to the activists, academics, and thinkers we trust to shine a light on the inner workings of authoritarianism; and planning to use journalism as a tool to equip movements to protect the people, lands, and principles most vulnerable to Trump’s destruction.
We’re asking all of our readers to start a monthly donation or make a one-time donation – as a commitment to stand with us on day one of Trump’s presidency, and every day after that, as we produce journalism that combats authoritarianism, censorship, injustice, and misinformation. You’re an essential part of our future – please join the movement by making a tax-deductible donation today.
If you have the means to make a substantial gift, please dig deep during this critical time!
With gratitude and resolve,
Maya, Negin, Saima, and Ziggy