The North Carolina State Senate proclaimed a budget this week and the process resembles the way a caste system operates.
At the top you have a handful of “those who know what is best.” In India, they are called the Brahmins. They breathe rarified air and do not like open meetings or open doors. About 10 in number, they are all Democrats, mostly white, mostly older males. One is not to question, just accept their edicts as truth.
He goes on to describe the other Senate Democrats as "sheep" and Senate Republicans as the "outcasts." Campbell then explains how we got here and what we can do to end the system.
The game changer occurred when both the Speaker and Pro Tem became the chief fundraisers for their respective houses. These powerful people now had large sums to see their friends elected and gave massive funds to the state political parties, earmarked for these friends as unlimited “in kind” contributions.
Here’s how it works. Those who know what’s best dole out large sums of cash to elect friends to office. Those friends, when elected, keep those who know what’s best in power, and if they vote like good sheep, meaning the way the power wants them to, they get enough campaign money to get re-elected.
This system will remain in place as long as we allow those who know what’s best to buy their flocks or members. Cut off the flow of money and you will break the rank and file dependence on those in power. Until then, the caste system will continue alive and well.
