Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm: Today, the Billionaires Are King

We've spent a lot of time talking about Super PACs and the Billionaire Boys Club. Why does this matter so much? Because it's poisoning, ruining, corrupting our democracy. I know it sounds trite -- "ruining our democracy" -- but I can find no more appropriate words.

Our founding fathers had a vision of a country where everyone participated in choosing our government. Yes, there were terrible flaws -- women and slaves certainly couldn't participate -- but it was better that one-king rule, and gradually we got to a place where everyone was involved... Where the streetsweepers vote mattered just as much as Donald Trump's.

But now, we're taking giant steps backward, away from the founders' vision. Back to what they fought against. Only today, the billionaires are king. They want to control the levers of government at any cost. Literally. Money is no object to them. The billionaires have a huge interest in controlling the president of the United States. A few million dollars is a small investment for the returns they will get from the policies they'll have *their* president enact...

And Mitt Romney would be their willing instrument. Yes, even the wealthy Mitt Romney, perhaps the wealthiest man to ever run for President -- he of the elevator for his garage -- even he is a supplicant to the billionaires.

Democrats have been forced to play this game too, and the entire spectrum now is corrupt. But it is clear that the vast majority of the billionaire money is on the right. This money is corrupting our political system. We have ventured so far from the vision of the founding fathers that if they were still alive, I'm certain those founders would start another revolution. I blame Citizens United.

We need a president willing and able to fight the most important fight of our generation -- passing a constitutional amendment overturning citizens united. We cannot allow billionaires to purchase a government or a president. Tell them: We will not allow our country to be bought. This is a battle worth waging.

Cross-posted at "The War Room" blog. Follow Jennifer Granholm on Facebook and Twitter and "The War Room" on Facebook and Twitter. "The War Room with Jennifer Granholm" airs weeknights at 9/8c on Current TV.

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Follow Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JenGranholm

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