By William E. Bardwell, MBA, validatingtruth@gmail.com
Co-author: “Validating Truth in the Era of Misinformation and Fake News”
Our Democracy Has Been Sold Out. Here’s How We Win It Back.
This isn’t about Republicans or Democrats. It’s the people vs. power. A handful of billionaires, corporations, and lobbyists now decide who runs for office, who gets elected, and which laws get written—long before you ever cast a vote.
In 2024, House incumbents had to raise nearly $713,000 each, and Senators $2.2 million—mostly from PACs, lobbyists, and party bosses—just to stay competitive. Since Citizens United in 2010, corporate money has poured into every level of government, turning elections into auctions and hollowing out our democracy from within.
According to recent polls, Congress's approval is hovering in the mid-to-high 20% range. Congress isn’t broken. It’s captured. And a captured Congress can’t fulfill its most basic responsibilities:
· Representing the voice of the people.
· Proposing laws and amendments that reflect our will.
· Holding the executive branch accountable.
· Managing debt, trade, and the economy responsibly.
Instead, lawmakers are trapped in a system that demands constant fundraising, party loyalty, and obedience to donors. The result? The American people’s priorities are ignored—even though across party lines, income levels, and regions, we largely agree on what needs to be done:
1. Make living in America affordable again by improving the economy and reducing inflation.
2. End the stranglehold of money in politics and break the dysfunction paralyzing Washington.
3. Fix our broken immigration system with fair and practical reform.
4. Stop the spread of false and inaccurate information by incenting websites to optionally identify verified authors of online content.
These aren’t radical demands. They are the bare minimum of what any real democracy should deliver. And yet, decade after decade, Congress refuses—because the very system that elects them has been hijacked by money.
If we want to reclaim our future, we must reclaim our democracy.
What’s Gone Wrong?
Runaway Inequality
Since 1980, wage inequality has exploded. CEOs rake in hundreds of times what average workers earn. Housing costs are breaking family budgets. The middle class is shrinking.
Corporate Control of Elections and Laws
The 2010 Citizens United ruling unleashed a tidal wave of unlimited spending by corporations, lobbyists, and the ultra-wealthy—silencing the voice of the people. For the past 15 years, their money has rewritten the rules in their favor. Corporations and lobbyists now gamble with the economy without fear of accountability, suppress wages while driving up the costs of housing, groceries, health care, and other essentials, and block real solutions like a fair, efficient immigration system with a pathway to citizenship. The result: power for the few, hardship for the many.
No Accountability
Congress now answers to donors, not voters. Both parties chase the same money. The result? Laws that benefit the wealthy—regardless of who’s in power.
Disconnect of Priorities Among Income Groups
In 2024, Pew Research found that large majorities of Americans consider the economy (73–89%), inflation (65–70%), and health care (63–80%) top national priorities. However, high-income individuals were less concerned, with only 75% prioritizing the economy, 50% inflation, and 55% health care—highlighting a gap in urgency between income groups.
Other Disillusionment
Calls for “better leaders” or new reforms fall flat because the system is fundamentally rigged—like a casino where the house always wins. Changing the dealers won’t fix the game. Only cutting off the money will.
Democracy is on the Brink
People are losing faith. They’re working longer hours, for less. Many feel left behind—and some are turning to dangerous alternatives: authoritarianism, extremism, even abandoning democracy altogether.
The Solution: “VOTEM ALL OUT”
A bold, nonpartisan campaign to remove the root cause of corruption in Congress—money.
I’m William E. Bardwell, MBA, co-author of Validating Truth in the Era of Misinformation and Fake News. Drawing on the same commitment to evidence and independent thinking, I’m launching the Votem ALL Out campaign to restore democracy by ending the stranglehold of money in federal politics.
Our demands:
Publicly funded federal elections
Ban all other campaign contributions—corporate, union, lobbyist, PAC, Super PAC, and individual wealth
If Congress doesn’t act by September 2026, vote out every sitting member—regardless of party
Simple. Clear. Powerful. If they won’t fix it, we’ll replace them.
How Publicly Funded Elections Would Work:
Candidates qualify by gathering a set number of signatures
Once qualified, each receives equal public funding
No private donations. No PACs. No dark money.
Funds can only be used for campaign purposes
Leftover funds go back to the government
Free public forums hosted by state and local governments
Media encouraged to provide equal and fair coverage
This system levels the playing field, empowers qualified citizens to run, and frees elected officials to focus on governing—not fundraising.
What You Can Do Right Now
We don’t need signatures yet—but we do need support:
1. Share This Message
Send it to friends, family, and anyone who’s tired of being ignored by Congress. Post it on social media. Spread the word.
2. Start the Conversation
Ask your state representatives where they stand on publicly funded elections—and share their responses.
3. Stay in Touch
Email me directly with questions, ideas, and support; or an invitation to speak, join your movement or participate at event: validatingtruth@gmail.com
In Summary:
Rising inequality. Economic instability. Misinformation. Growing distrust. Democracy is faltering, and the American Dream is slipping away—not because of partisan division, but because Congress has been bought.
We don’t have time to wait. Congress won’t reform itself. And any “solution” coming from a rigged system may only make things worse.
We must speak out—clearly, urgently, and together—about how money has corrupted democracy and how voters can reclaim it.
Like FDR’s fireside chats, this movement must educate, unite, and inspire.
I call on all Americans—citizens, community leaders, faith groups, students, media, and even members of Congress—to join us.
Let’s demand publicly funded elections by 2026. And if Congress fails, let’s be ready to do what they fear most:
Vote Them All Out!!
Thank you.
With determination,
William E. Bardwell, MBA
validatingtruth@gmail.com
Votem All Out”
Only Way to Restore Democracy and Reclaim American Dream in 2026
Congressional Money Raised for 2024 Election
The Story of Pay Inequality
(The lower Blue line represents the Pay for the Bottom 90% since 1980)
Thank you for your time and courage to review my vision on how to “Save Democracy and Restore the American Dream in 2026.”
For Information About My Book:
Validating Truth in the Era of
Misinformation and Fake News
Checkout the Save Democracy
Blog to Learn More
#EndMoneyinPolitics #Save Democracy #VotemAllOut