The Triumph of Super PACs

[Tgo01]

Publically funded campaigns. No more donations.

Can I take out an ad in my local newspaper using my own money?

[waywardgs]

Can I take out an ad in my local newspaper using my own money?

Yep. You can now. But you have to be associated with it, not the candidate.

[Tgo01]

Yep. You can now. But you have to be associated with it, not the candidate.

What if my message is so powerful (because let's face it, it would be) that people all around the country want to pay to have my ad printed in their local newspaper?

[waywardgs]

What if my message is so powerful (because let's face it, it would be) that people all around the country want to pay to have my ad printed in their local newspaper?

This isn't a campaign finance issue.

[Tgo01]

This isn't a campaign finance issue.

What if people liked my message so much they wanted to use their money to ensure as many people as possible saw it; newspapers, TV commercials, billboards, whatever! So they decide it would be better to pool all the money into one large pot and someone could decide how best to use that money to make sure the entire world saw my message.

We could even call this a group of some sort, perhaps a People Across the Country group, but y'know, PAC for short.

[waywardgs]

Yeah yeah I get it. This is a separate issue.

[Tgo01]

Yeah yeah I get it. This is a separate issue.

But this whole thread was about PACs and I just described them...

[drauz]

This is what I don't understand; who cares? Do you think you are personally writing legislation or something? Like, did you sway this unknown person's opinion on something because you had a conversation with them about your views? I'm sure this person wants you to think this so you will continue to bring in money to their campaign.

Here's the other thing, do you really think the truly rich and powerful are going to be deterred by any sort of donation caps?

I also think it's quite telling for someone to be for monetary campaign limits but has no problem with an unlimited number of people donating an unlimited amount of their time to said campaign.

Pretty sure the big banks actually write legislation for the politicians they have bought for them to introduce.

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/05/...nancial-bills/

[Kembal]

What else is the bribed representative going to do for you? You don't have to tell us what you supposedly got done, just curious what else 10k can get me if it can get that one guy a multi billion dollar contract written into law.

First off, I'm sure McWane executives held fundraisers for Rep. Aderholt as well, so in the end, it was more than the $18,600 I can identify from searching campaign contribution records.

But a partial list of things you can have a Congressman do
- Hold a hearing (if they're placed high enough) that is beneficial to your interests
- Suggest witnesses for a hearing that'll support your interests
- Attack a witness whose testimony at a hearing is detrimental to your interests
- Read a statement into the Congressional Record that supports your interests
- Intervene with a federal agency on your behalf (that one can be illegal if not done properly...see Sen. Menendez (D-NJ))
- Write a letter to a federal agency expressing concern or support about a topic that's part of your interests
- Agree to go on a trip to a foreign country where you have interests
- Issue press statements that support your interests

None of these have to be business or money related interests. They could be ideological, on behalf of a community, solving a personal problem, etc.

The point is that the donation greases the wheels. And the bigger the donor (and their donation), the more grease that gets applied.

So you really think the only way a rich person can help or hurt a politician is through direct donations?

This is especially funny since I'm pretty sure a private citizen using their own funds can make whatever ad they want.

That's why they create SuperPACs to spread their message. (See Koch Brothers, Tom Steyer, etc.) Private citizen doing it on their own is making an in-kind contribution to the campaign, and the campaign is held liable if said private citizen has gone over the donation limit. With a SuperPAC, that's not an issue.

[Tgo01]

But a partial list of things you can have a Congressman do
- Hold a hearing (if they're placed high enough) that is beneficial to your interests
- Suggest witnesses for a hearing that'll support your interests
- Attack a witness whose testimony at a hearing is detrimental to your interests
- Read a statement into the Congressional Record that supports your interests
- Write a letter to a federal agency expressing concern or support about a topic that's part of your interests
- Agree to go on a trip to a foreign country where you have interests
- Issue press statements that support your interests

None of these have to be business or money related interests. They could be ideological, on behalf of a community, solving a personal problem, etc.

You mean they will...GASP!...represent you as a citizen?!

With a SuperPAC, that's not an issue.

Did you read the back and forth I had with waywardgs? What exactly is wrong with PACs? I mean, I get what you have a problem with it...but why can't someone spend their money the way they want to? Are we really going to tell people they can no longer speak their mind come election time? Or is it gonna be all the time? Is no one ever gonna be allowed to spend their money to speak out for or against a politician?