The School of Media and Public Affairs on Wednesday hosted Robert McChesney and John Nichols, the co-founders of Free Press, an interest group which advocates for a more dynamic media landscape. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) was the keynote speaker at the event held in Jack Morton Auditorium.
“The issues they raise are at the core of what corrupts American democracy,” Frank Sesno, the Director of SMPA, said as he opened the event.
Free Press has devoted its time over the past decade to combatting corporate and governmental control over various media outlets. They do this by crafting policy proposals, conducting research, testifying before Congress, and arguing before courts in order to advocate what they believe are effective and fair media policies.
McChesney and Nichols devoted much of the time to discussing their new book, Dollarocracy, which outlines how U.S. elections are essentially controlled by a wealthy class of consultants.
“Money rules [our elections], not the will of the people,” McChesney said when explaining the main idea of the book. “The political system does not reflect the values of the people in this country.”
Free Press actively promotes net neutrality and decries Internet censorship.
“The open Internet is still under attack," Craig Aaron, the President and CEO of Free Press, said. "The surveillance state surpasses some of our worst nightmares,”
In introducing Senator Bernie Sanders, Aaron praised him.
“We need so many more people like Bernie Sanders in Washington today.”
Sanders spoke of his main objective to eliminate the “oligarchic form of society” under which we currently live and how media consolidation, Citizens United Supreme Court decision, and corporate interest groups are “corrupting” American politics.
“To get legislation passed that does not have the seal of approval from Wall Street and corporate America – it’s not going to happen,” said Sanders of the wealthy corporate donors who are, in his view, causing the gridlock in Washington.
Nichols also spoke of how democracy and diplomacy “replaced” a full-scale war in Syria. The American people were wary and skeptical of war, Nichols said, and the government listened to them.
“When the American people are heard, good things happen,” Nichols continued.
This was an example, Nichols asserted, of how the media complex failed in ginning up support for another unpopular war.
Although Free Press considers itself a non-partisan organization, Nichols espoused what are often considered to be more progressive beliefs.
“We must create a constitutional amendment that says money is not speech. Corporations are not people.” Nichols commented. “We also have a responsibility to eliminate the Electoral College,” citing the fact that George W. Bush lost by 540,000 votes in 2000 but still became President. Nichols also advocates the overturning of the Supreme Court's Citizens United, decision which allowed for unlimited corporate and union donations to political causes and campaigns.
Congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI), who represents the district where Nichols and McChesney live, also spoke in support of the initiatives taken by Free Press. Pocan introduced constitutional amendments that would overturn Citizens United, declare that money contributions to campaigns are not free speech, and corporations are not people.
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