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It is mind blowing how much money is generated and spent on our elections. Once you raise to the level of state government it is almost required to be a millionaire at the very least. That is the level of money that needs to be generated to compete in these races now. How long ago did we break the billion dollar amout?
The only fix for this would be to pass a law saying candidates can only campaign in person or on public tv or on public radio. They can use the united postal service and internet, but cannot call your land line or cell phone. They themselves can however knock upon your door. The news media i.e. CNN & FOX etc. can cover campaigns as news just like they do now. Private organizations can participate as they do now with the exception that they can only actively participate three months prior to the election day.
It is mind blowing how much is generated and spent on our elections. Once you raise to the level of state government it is almost required to be a millionaire at the very least. That is the level of money that needs to be generated to compete in these races now. How long ago did we break the billion dollar amout?
The only fix for this would be to pass a law saying candidates can only campaign in person or on public tv or on public radio. They can use the united postal service and internet, but cannot call your land line or cell phone. They themselves can however knock upon your door. The news media i.e. CNN & FOX etc. can cover campaigns as news just like they do now. Private organizations can participate as they do now with the exception that they can only actively participate three months prior to the election day.
I think AVG-JOE had a good idea.
Give the candidates equal time on NPR and PBS or other stations.
This will never happen because special interests and lobbyists would lose much of their influence.
On the other hand, laws restricting free speech aren't the answer.....
Who among the all men who're created equal and sharing in this thing called life is behind the ads and where did you get the dough?$?
Oh, Jack Abramoff said the other day that he had about a hundred Congressmen on the take from him.
He also said that he didn't like Newt because he couldn't bribe him for shit.
It is mind blowing how much money is generated and spent on our elections. Once you raise to the level of state government it is almost required to be a millionaire at the very least. That is the level of money that needs to be generated to compete in these races now. How long ago did we break the billion dollar amout?
The only fix for this would be to pass a law saying candidates can only campaign in person or on public tv or on public radio. They can use the united postal service and internet, but cannot call your land line or cell phone. They themselves can however knock upon your door. The news media i.e. CNN & FOX etc. can cover campaigns as news just like they do now. Private organizations can participate as they do now with the exception that they can only actively participate three months prior to the election day.
I think the whole process should be limited to 3 months before an election and each serious candidate allotted equal amounts of media time and funds.
Banks and corporations are sitting on mind-blowingly huge surpluses of cash. They intend to spend it to buy a more cooperative president, they already bought the house.
It is mind blowing how much is generated and spent on our elections. Once you raise to the level of state government it is almost required to be a millionaire at the very least. That is the level of money that needs to be generated to compete in these races now. How long ago did we break the billion dollar amout?
The only fix for this would be to pass a law saying candidates can only campaign in person or on public tv or on public radio. They can use the united postal service and internet, but cannot call your land line or cell phone. They themselves can however knock upon your door. The news media i.e. CNN & FOX etc. can cover campaigns as news just like they do now. Private organizations can participate as they do now with the exception that they can only actively participate three months prior to the election day.
I think the whole process should be limited to 3 months before an election and each serious candidate allotted equal amounts of media time and funds.
Only way that would work is if you had term-limits because incumbents would have a distinct advantage.
Banks and corporations are sitting on mind-blowingly huge surpluses of cash. They intend to spend it to buy a more cooperative president, they already bought the house.
I think the unions bought the Democrats.
That has been the point of this thread.
Oh like they don't now?
Sure it would work. Term limits have nothing to do with it.
Imagine only having 3 months to introduce yourself to the voters....compared to years of constant campaigning through legislation and pork spending by incumbents.
We'd end up with a Congress full of Robert Byrds crapping in their pants and babbling to themselves.
Legislators, under this scenario, would be sequestered to mainly do thier jobs. Rule changes should go along with that. Right now, many in congress are allowed to be absent from taking votes. That should change. Along with making appearences at fluff functions.
Legislators, under this scenario, would be sequestered to mainly do thier jobs. Rule changes should go along with that. Right now, many in congress are allowed to be absent from taking votes. That should change. Along with making appearences at fluff functions.
Who's gonna put those rules in place????
Figure the odds on them policing themselves.
McCain/Feingold was a step in the right direction. But thanks to Citizen's United and legislating from the bench..back to square one.
Who's gonna put those rules in place????
Figure the odds on them policing themselves.
McCain/Feingold was a step in the right direction. But thanks to Citizen's United and legislating from the bench..back to square one.
McCain/Feingold magnified the problem.
It doesn't prevent corruption.
McCain/Feingold was a step in the right direction. But thanks to Citizen's United and legislating from the bench..back to square one.
McCain/Feingold magnified the problem.
It doesn't prevent corruption.
No it didn't. It was a good first step. But what probably needs to happen is a Constitutional Amendment that makes it clear that money isn't speech and corporations aren't people.
Passage of a Constitutional Amendment is almost a pipe-dream any more, though. Even one that would make that much sense.
Thanks to Citizen's United, we won't have a clue how much money is ACTUALLY spent. Just what we've always wanted in our government...unlimited buckets of cash. I'm sure that's what the Founding Fathers had in mind with the 1st Amendment...bought legislators.
The fact that rich republicans and democrats get multiple advantages: political influence and votes, should be criminal.
As CEO of a company, weather I am democrat or republican, I vote for a particular party, then I can also financially support that party with not only my personal finances, but the finances of the company I control. This gives the rich a huge political advantage over the common man by making the playing field lopsided.
The rich or special interests....
Not much different.
The rich support both parties. So do special interests.
The problem is the Dems have control of the most lucrative special interests. Unions.
Passage of a Constitutional Amendment is almost a pipe-dream any more, though. Even one that would make that much sense.
I might suggest the second way of presenting an amendment to the states, the one that's never actually been used. As corrupt as Congress is, bypassing them is probably necessary. I believe Occupy has a push in the works for that.
You know, if they wanted to the Democrats could pay off the deficit just by using the endless amount of cash they seem to have to throw into political campaigns.
They came up with $20 million to get their pro-union referendum passed in Ohio. Last year they came up with over $100 million in the 2010 mid-term elections. They seem to have this endless supply of cash coming from somewhere. They probably will have around $1 billion to spend on the Presidential election alone next year. So where are they getting all of this cash from?
We're currently more than $15 trillion in debt yet the Dems who control the money in Washington are swimming in dough. They've been losing billions speculating in renewable energy. They spent billions in TARP funds and Stimulus and Obama tried to disguise his latest Stimulus as a jobs bill. All this money lost and still they can come up with millions to run ads and campaigns to help their union friends.
Well, most of it is coming from union dues. Every member of a union gives $50 per month to the union and every cent goes to helping the Democrats take over government. Although they've been losing membership for the last few years Obama has made sure that losses were made up by unionizing the TSA and other government agencies. This is a huge cash advantage to the Dems. This is the root cause of Obama's current class-warfare campaign. Even though Wall Street donates nearly twice as much to Democrats he's using it effectively to keep the GOP from removing the biggest threat to our economy.
Unions. They are the money behind the anti-Tea Party movement.
Obama gives unions like the SEIU cash to run their operations and they in return drum up support for Democrat candidates.
If you want to know what's wrong with this country most of it is centered around this unholy alliance.
The largest labor union representing government workers has poured more money into the 2010 elections than any other outside group, providing a boon to Democratic candidates. And much of that money comes straight from taxpayers, critics allege.
Despite representing just 5 percent of the nations workforce, the 1.6 million-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) has contributed an astounding $87.5 million to help Democrats in hotly contested midterm races, according to campaign records.
AFSCME, Unions, dues, Democrats, campaignsCritics contend that the America taxpayer is supporting such political action, because AFSCMEs money comes from union dues automatically deducted from public employees tax-funded salaries.
That money is being used to fuel multimillion-dollar political campaign operations, funding everything from television commercials to phone banks for Democrats.
"Public-sector unions have a guaranteed source of revenue you and me as taxpayers," Glenn Spencer, executive director of the Workforce Freedom Initiative at the Chamber of Commerce, tells The Wall Street Journal.
Read more on Newsmax.com: Union Dues Funnel Millions in Tax Dollars to Democrats, Critics Say
Important: Do You Support Pres. Obama's Re-Election? Vote Here Now!
Links
Union Dues Funnel Millions in Tax Dollars to Democrats, Critics Say
Unions to spend $100M in 2010 campaign to save Dem majorities - TheHill.com
Corporate Campaigning: Where Do Politicians Get Their Money? |
