I've heard it proposed that campaign finance reform is the most important priority to repair this county's ailing political structure and possibly the integrity of the entire capitalist system.

It is true that large campaign donations from big corporations are pretty much an open ended invitation to bribery and sweetheart deals.  It is also true that campaign finance issues are an Achilles' heel for the security of a nation whose inception was founded in the ideals of a government for, of, and by the people. 

Our sysytem of government nowadays has everything but the general population's welfare in mind.  The unchecked greed of our corporate capitalistic structure will surely be our undoing.  It is really confounding to me when I see the average worker so heartily siding with those who believe the free enterprise system is the absolute only option for a nations prosperity and security. 

The days of the honorable big business tycoon who has his workers best inerests at heart are over (they may have never existed in the first place).  The privileged sons and grandsons of these men have sold us down the river and are now luxuriating somewhere on a sunny island.  They don't spend their wealth in this country or even on an American product (if there even is such a thing any more).  They've increased their salaries steadily until the corporation has no money left in its holdings.  There is no more R and D.  There is no room to hire more employees.   And there is no re-investment in our country's well being.

This is why a fair mix of socialism has been rearing its head lately.  This is why Health Care Reform is such an important issue right now.  This is why people are enrolling in themselves into the welfare system like never before.  People who would have never applied for food stamps or general assistance (the same folks who just two years ago were calling the less fortunate,"lazy") are now collecting.  The fact of the matter is that there have always been only so many jobs and someone will always be out of work.  It's just that now that  number of jobs has decreased to a level where our current social structure can no longer guarantee the protection of the disenfrachised individuals and those left behind and now they weigh us down like never before.

Seems funny to me how the greatest Socialist empire in history is now on the rise while the greatest Capitalist empire is declining.  The Chinese have come to the realization that a fair mix of the two philosophies brings prosperity and protection for the people  and government alike.  And they have figured out that American Idealism is nothing more than a concept that sounds good on paper.  They just haven't figured out how to balance that with human rights.  They are moving slowly in that direction however while we move in the opposite.

Your thoughts are welcome!