"Democracy dies in darkness"– the bitter irony
"Democracy dies in darkness" says the Washington post. It always stuck me as self-aggrandizing. Is the Washington Post shining the light of truth on Democracy? Today, it's a moot point. The post has decided not to endorse any candidate for president under the guise of even-handedness. Bezos made the decision, and rumors swirl that he did so on behalf of Amazon's business interests in the case of another Trump presidency. The real problem runs far deeper.
Our esteemed legacy media has been bought up by billionaires. An institution such as the Washington Post must operate with total journalistic freedom. Perhaps some sort of ownership is necessary, but the role of a Bezos figure should be limited to advertising and revenue, if that. It's a travesty that Bezos, on a whim, can simply decide the journalistic direction of a formerly esteemed newspaper. Unfortunately, the problem goes deeper still.
It's not only political media that's bought and sold by the Bezos types– It's all of politics. This issue has been front of mind for me since February. My name is Thomas Witkop and I'm running a grassroots congressional campaign in South Florida. I live 15 minutes from Mar-a-lago and 'Billionaires Row' on Palm Beach Island. If I drive a few minutes inland I see abject poverty. My opponent is Brian Mast and his millions of dollars in corporate backing. I’m reminded of one day when I was talking to a lunch lady– an amazing woman who cares deeply about her community. She gave me a small donation, about $5, and said it's all she could afford even though she really supports my mission. That meant so much to me. On other occasions, rich people have offhandedly given thousands of dollars. If political donations are viewed as a freedom of speech, that lunch lady is barely whispering while the rich are shouting from the mountaintops. Our politicians hear the loudest voices, and act accordingly. Indeed, politics is bought inside and out. Your political voice should not be stifled because of how much money you have, just as the voice of the Washington Post should not be the voice of Jeff Bezos.
If elected, I plan to work tirelessly to get dirty money out of politics– from campaign finance reform, to rooting out the billionaires controlling our media, and everything in between. At 25, I'm the youngest Congressional nominee this year, and I hope to be a voice for change in the next generation of politicians. I've seen how deeply this issue resonates with my generation, which gives me great hope. It feels wrong to ask for donations after this article, but my campaign is only made possible form small dollar donations by individuals, so if you believe in my mission, a small donation would be greatly appreciated. It doesn't matter how much! Best of luck in these final two weeks. Let's finish strong.
Thomas Witkop, Witkop for Congress Campaign
Re-posted from DailyKos.com, October 25, 2024 content post.