The Problem with Money in Politics

For many of us, the American Dream has become just that. A dream. But that doesn’t have to be the case. Good jobs, affordable homeownership, access to quality healthcare and education, safe streets, dignity in work, clean air and water - all of this can be possible again for everyday Nebraskans.

We live in the most prosperous country on the planet — by a long shot. So has the grocery store become unaffordable for millions of Americans? Why are homes getting so expensive that the average age of a first-time homebuyer is 41? Why are people working more than one job just to make ends meet?

After decades of “fighting for us,” why haven’t politicians in Washington made our lives better?

There’s one reason and one reason only. Just follow the money.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, there’s been a battle for power in this country. Not between political parties — between those who want the government to work for everyday people and those who see government as a way to further enrich the corporations and wealthy elite. The pendulum of power has swung back and forth over the years, but every time working people fell short, those in power took a little bit more. Today, the gap between the wealthiest people in this country and everyone else is the largest it’s ever been. The richest people have consolidated their money and their power. And if the system stays the way it is, working people don’t stand a chance against them.

If you’re a billionaire, or I guess now we can add a trillionaire, you can pay your way into any politician’s office. You can threaten to fund candidates against them if they don’t do what you want. You can bribe them with millions of dollars. The day after my opponent committed to investigating Tyson for illegally shutting down the Lexington plant, they wrote him a check. We all know how that story ended - with jobs lost and no accountability.

The lie they tell us is that we’re all just like them. We could be millionaires and billionaires too, if we just work hard, like they did. But that’s not true. Sure, some of us might break through and find our way into a c-suite of a massive company. But the world shouldn’t revolve around generating shareholder value. The world needs nurses and teachers, plumbers and mechanics. It should be possible to live a prosperous life working those jobs too.

It’s not a level playing field. And it hasn’t been for a long time.

Small businesses and working people are the backbone of this country. In small towns across Nebraska, we’ve seen what happens when small businesses are priced out and family farms are consolidated into big ag. Those towns aren’t ours anymore. They become lines on a spreadsheet to the wealthy and the powerful, who don’t really care what happens to us.

And politicians wonder why we’re mad. I know I’m mad. I’m mad that my neighbors can’t pay their bills without taking an extra job and losing out on time with their families. I’m mad that people are dying because they can’t afford health insurance and that working people can’t afford decent housing.

That’s why I’m running for U.S. Senate. The only way out of this is to stop making the same mistake. Stop electing the same kinds of people and hoping for something different. I don’t take corporate money. I’m funded by you, the people. And you’re the only ones that I’m listening to.

Dan Osborn is an independent candidate for US Senate. Osborn served in the United States’ Navy and Nebraska National Guard before becoming an industrial mechanic. During his campaign, Osborn will travel to all 93-counties listening to voters and bringing Nebraskans together over the idea that working people deserve a seat at the table in DC.

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