Despite the fact that we're in the heat of election season, the agency charged with protecting the process is laying down on the job. That's why groups have begun calling on the Federal Election Commission to get to work.

According to a recent article over at CommonDreams.org, the FEC's failure to update rules and regulate election spending have created a “unprecedented flow of so-called 'dark money' into the U.S. political process.”

In a letter to the commission, groups like Friends of the Earth, Public Citizen, the Center for Media and Democracy, and many others demanded that the FEC address vital regulatory shortfalls.

They wrote, “Since the 2010 Citizens United decision, each election system has seen dramatic changes in the campaign finance environment.” However, they added, “the rules and regulations of the Federal Election Commission have not kept pace.”

Specifically, they want the FEC to update their rules to address three important issues. The groups say the agency must reestablish the disclosure rules that existed before the Commission destroyed them, strengthen rules that keep foreign money out of our political process, and ensure that unregulated Super PACs and outside groups are not working directly with political candidates.

These suggestions are simply common sense, and they would help put our democracy back into the hands of We, The People.

Ever since that disastrous Citizens United decision back in 2010, our democracy has slipped further and further into the hands of the billionaires. It is the job of the Federal Election Commission to address this corruption, and put in place rules that make all our voices have equal value.

By ignoring their duty, the FEC is directly responsible for the unfettered purchase of our democracy, and they should be held accountable. If the commissioners can't get their acts together and stand up to big money, it's time to throw them out and appoint people who will.