'Entry Fee' for Presidential Race Could Be $100 Million...

[bridgit]

Money's Going to Talk in 2008

Michael E. Toner, the chairman of the Federal Election Commission, has some friendly advice for presidential candidates who plan to be taken seriously by the time nominating contests start in early 2008: Bring your wallet.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/10/AR2006031002425.html?nav=rss_email/components

[Skinner]

1. And, if you get the nomination: $400 million (!)

First among those factors is the 2004 precedent. President Bush and Democratic nominee John F. Kerry decided then to do without public matching funds in the nominating phase of the campaign -- money that came with a requirement to limit spending to just $44.7 million each. They went on to raise $274.7 million and $253 million, respectively, before accepting public funding for the general election campaign in the fall. Their success established what many strategists believe will be a new norm in presidential politics.

What's more, many analysts believe that 2008 will be a clash of such titanic intensity that the nominees will reject public funding -- and the spending limits that govern it -- even for the fall campaign. If so, most bets are that each major-party candidate would need to raise in excess of $400 million by the Nov. 4, 2008, election. Candidates would want to raise as much of that money as early as possible, so as not to waste precious campaign time holding fundraisers.

[bridgit]

2. a stunning display...

x(

[Missy M]

3. The chances of anyone out of the establishment becoming...

president is entirely gone in this country. The cost to run for president is beyond most peoples reach. This country is being run by the corporation, including running for president. I guess you can no longer tell your children they could become president someday.

[bridgit]

10. i've thought since Bill Clinton's problems went exponential, that he...

was going to be the last person that working parents could point to and then say to their children, "this is america my darlings; if you try hard, and work hard; you too can be the president of the united states of america...if that is what you want to do."

but everyone knows i'm a sucker like that :patriot:

[napi21]

4. They wre talking about this on WJ this AM.

I just caught the tail end of it, but the host read a list that Clinton spent $45 mill, Gore $47 mill, GWB $120 Mill (1se ekect,) and $252 Mill in 2004!

I was shocked! I know it costs a lot, but a QUARTER OF A MILLION for just ONE candidate?????

[Skinner]

8. Yes, it's a lot of money.

It's a huge amount of money, and it compromises the candidate that has to raise it.

But it's *not* a lot of money compared to the federal budget. If we went to a system of public financing, I'd guess we could pay for the entire presidential campaign for somewhere between $500 million and $1 billion. That's peanuts. An entire campaign for the cost of a day or two in Iraq. And it would be money much better spent.

[TransitJohn]

13. That'd be a quarter BILLION (eom)

:dem:

[kentuck]

5. Am I the only person that thinks money hurts the Democratic Party?

Because they sacrifice principles for monied interests and the middle and lower class are thrown overboard in the process. What is the money spent on? TV ads and commercials? We should know by now that hour by hour of free TV time is much more valuable than all the bought ads in the world.

[Skinner]

6. My guess is that most people here would agree.

We're between a rock and a hard place. Everyone knows that the system is corrupt and broken. But it's the only system we've got. If we want to change the system, we don't have many viable options except to work within it.

[Skidmore]

11. This is why Dean's way of getting funds is so important and

why the DLC wing of the party hate him so much. THey are tied to the big money people. We need to swing control back to the individual voter. That is a true "ownership" society.

[napi21]

14. I'm sure that's the reason they hate Dean, but I'm trying to get my head

around this. Is it POSSIBLE for Dean's method to amass THAT MUCH $$?

I realize he raised $50M for his own campaign, but that's a drop in the bucket when you're talking about $300M!

It seems to me the only way is for these two groups to bite their toungue, and work together! Sort of like the RNC business crowd and the fundies do. They collect millions from church groups, along with the millions from the high rollers!

[ck4829]

7. Those who have money get to rule?

Yep, we're going to officially become a Plutocracy in just a matter of time.

Conservative

[Walt Starr]

9. 2008 - The billion dollar presidential campaign

When all is said and done, over a billion dollars will be spent on the 2008 race.

Mark my words.

[bridgit]

12. that's going to be allot of money to end up throwing the most shit...

that will have ever been thrown in a presidential campaign; i think this one will be the nastiest election on the record books