The recent experiences of Green Party senate candidate Aaron Dixon give some special insight into how money works in American politics, insight that is not likely to appear on the evening news.

Dixon says he believes that incumbent Senator Maria Cantwell's campaign was involved in attempts to influence him with money to drop out of the race.

According to Dixon, communications with the Cantwell campaign involved Mark Wilson, who was earlier running against Cantwell but dropped out of the race after the Cantwell campaign offered him a paid position.

Dixon was also prevented by Seattle-based KING television from appearing on a televised debate between other senate candidates, including a well-heeled Libertarian. One of KING's stipulations was that any candidate to appear must have raised at least a million dollars in campaign money.

Machine politics is alive and well. The ugliness of our political system is mostly due to our own negligence. Shouldn't we be working for Instant Runoff Voting, for public campaign financing, and for campaign spending limits, so that such shenanigans don't happen, so that all candidates of all parties have a fair chance?

Following is a transcript excerpt from Amy Goodman's radio program of 10/25/06.

Doug Collins

AMY GOODMAN: Have you had any contact with the Democratic candidate, with Maria Cantwell? And what has been their response to your Green Party candidacy?

AARON DIXON: Personally, no. I haven't had any response from her, but we have had responses from people in her campaign that have offered money for me to drop out of the campaign.

AMY GOODMAN: What do you mean, offered money? Who offered you money?

AARON DIXON: Well, there was a candidate, an antiwar candidate named Mark Wilson, and Mark Wilson and I had crossed paths on many occasions. He was running as a Democrat, and he had said in several instances that after the primary that he would throw his support my way. But about a month ago, Mark Wilson joined the Maria Cantwell camp, and shortly after that, he made a call to me personally and asked that if I would be willing to drop out, that they would raise--that there were people in Maria's camp that would raise a lot of money for the nonprofit that I founded.

AMY GOODMAN: What is that nonprofit?

AARON DIXON: It's called Central House. We work with at-risk youth, and we have a transitional housing program.

AMY GOODMAN: So they would throw a fundraiser for you, or they would just raise money for your nonprofit.

AARON DIXON: Yes, they would raise money for my nonprofit.

AMY GOODMAN: Did you consider this?

AARON DIXON: No. No, I didn't. No, I didn't consider that at all.

AMY GOODMAN: So, are you saying they tried to bribe you?