McCain-Feingold fall-out:
The Federal Election Commission filed suit Monday against the Club for Growth, a well-funded Republican group, in an effort to force the organization to comply with limits on political contributions.
The suit is the first major enforcement case to involve a “527 committee,” the independent political organizations that both Republicans and Democrats used to raise and spend hundreds of millions of dollars in the 2004 races. Commission officials describe it as a test case that could have a major impact on how future elections are financed.
“This is one of the most important suits the commission has brought in the last decade,” said Michael Toner, the commission’s Republican vice chairman.
Last year’s election was the first conducted under the McCain-Feingold law of 2002, which banned political parties from accepting unlimited contributions known as soft money. However, donors continued to direct six- and seven-figure checks to 527 committees, which argued that they could still legally accept unlimited soft money contributions.
I think the CFG is out there, but I will root for anyone against the FEC.
TallDave
I’m not sure these restrictions ever accomplish anything useful.
docG
Let’s just cut the hypocrisy and put Congressional seats on e-Bay. Highest bidder picks the congressperson and gives the marching orders. Interest groups could, of course, pool their bids.
Defense Guy
Unlimited contributions with required accurate reporting on who is giving what. Attempts to lie about the source of the money or not report result in very long prison terms for everyone involved. Enough of these games, unrestrict the speech and put real teeth in those who try to lie.
jobiuspublius
Don’t these bipedal rectums have anything better to do? Oh, they must have finished investigating themselves already. Golly, they’re fast.
Aha! So, it’s all their fault! The cursers are out to intercourse’n deficate on us.
Does this mean that our public discourse would be more clever if we cursed and that penalties for cursing are part of the dumbing down of America?
Aw, John called us fucktards once. How sweet. You see, Americans are friendly mother intercourse’n feces heads.
Angry friendly mother intercourse’n feces heads.
Maybe we should privatize Supper Nanny. Too bad, Safavian is busy.
jobiuspublius
Oops, wrong spot. CRAP!!
MMM
Steve Earle says/sings it best, F#%& the FCC!
MMM
OK – I’m confused….wrong place, but the feeling is the same
jobiuspublius
What ever happened to Mitch Mcconnell’s threats to overturn campaign finance reform in the courts?
p.lukasiak
Perhaps the best solution would be to change the libel laws with regard to paid “political speech”. Make the deliberate distortion of a candidates record “libellous”, and make contributors to organization guilty of libel liable for damages, and you will see a whole lot less money being thrown at political campaigns…
Shygetz
Since when is money speech? Money equals votes, and our democracy is for sale. Since when is that good? Disclosure only means that we know our democracy is for sale, and who had the winning bid–not much comfort there. Personally, I’m all for exclusive federal funding of all campaigning. If a billionaire wants to buy a fancy soapbox and stand on the local corner stumping for his candidate, he can go right ahead, but his money doesn’t entitle him to more speech or louder speech than the next guy. When capitalism collides with democracy, I think that democracy should win.
Defense Guy
Shygetz
There are no guarantees that spending the most equals winning elections. What you are describing is exactly what we have anyway in one form or another, so why not just stop kidding ourselves? As to the money equaling speech, the answer is since forever. Speech is defined in many ways in this country, and if you don’t believe me, then look up why p0rn is protected. Is sex speech? Yes, just as much as money is.
The capitalism colliding with democracy line is just funny, as one is the form of government we have and the other is the basis for our economic system. They are related.
Oh,Boy.Stupidity!
McCain-Feingold is an act of welfare for those who are rich and who wanna get into politics. The little guy with no money and no fame is forever shut out of politics thanks to McCain-Feingold.
Right on, Def. Guy. Why do Lefties ALWAYS preclude that money = corruption? Your doctor makes a buck when you get healthier. Scary thought, huh?
Oh,Boy.Stupidity!
Why is Club for Growth out there?
Is this “out there”?
Club for Growth Policy Goals:
* Making the Bush tax cuts permanent
* Death tax repeal
* Cutting and limiting government spending
* Social Security reform with personal retirement accounts
* Expanding free trade
* Legal reform to end abusive lawsuits
* Replacing the current tax code
* School choice
* Regulatory reform an deregulation