Democratic Underground Latest Greatest Lobby Journals Search Options Help Login
Google

campaign finance reform. dead issue?

Printer-friendly format Printer-friendly format
Printer-friendly format Email this thread to a friend
Printer-friendly format Bookmark this thread
This topic is archived.
Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU
 
Revolution9 Donating Member (141 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 03:27 PM
Original message
campaign finance reform. dead issue?
because with ben nelson screwing us over for the big health contributers, bayh screwing us over for the mortgage industry, and the patheitc "conservadem" caucus screwing us over for the banks, one has to wonder if these election amount to anything when we put dems in charge.

I say we have federal funding for federal elections (house,senate,president) to level the playing field.

would that work?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
anonymous171 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 03:28 PM
Response to Original message
1. How about preventing businesses from lobbying?
Or would that be too difficult to accomplish?
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Revolution9 Donating Member (141 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 03:29 PM
Response to Reply #1
3. that is kinda the question.
is it possible to take them out of the game by just a robust public finance system.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
GreenPartyVoter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 03:29 PM
Response to Original message
2. I'd love to have public financing only across the board.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Revolution9 Donating Member (141 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 03:31 PM
Response to Reply #2
4. state stuff would be have it's own laws but federal absolutely.
let the states pick the state governent finance anyways they like as long as it complies with fed laws of course.

but the federal elections should be publicly financed
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
HowHasItComeToThis Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 03:43 PM
Response to Original message
5. THESE ARE BOUGHT MEN
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
blueclown Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 03:44 PM
Response to Original message
6. Did you forget how Obama won his election?
Obama single-handedly killed public financing.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Revolution9 Donating Member (141 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 03:47 PM
Response to Reply #6
7. oh no. i remember.
that is why i asked if it were a dead issue.

Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
Yupster Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 07:33 PM
Response to Reply #7
11. I don't see why Obama would push this issue
since he can outraise his opponents massively under the current system.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
KharmaTrain Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 03:49 PM
Response to Original message
8. A Freedom Of Speech Matter...
Money = Speech...and the Supreme Court has already upheld that limiting contributions is a violation of the First Ammendment.

IMHO, the problem is more systemic. We now have a fulltime election industry...consultants, fund raisers and others who have turned running a campaign into a multi-million dollar enterprise for any federal office. Add to that unregulated advertising rates charged by television and a candidate is stuck in a vise...to get elected, one needs the TV exposed and that requires raising boatloads of cash.

Corporate money in politics is a major problem but it's a chicken & the egg thing...politicians wouldn't take the money if they didn't see the need for it. Cut the need and then i makes it easier for a politician to actually legislate rather than constantly fund raise. Limit the time of the campaign season...just like many European countries. Limit the amount of money campaigns can spend rather than raise...including forcing television stations, once again, to offer candidates advertising time at the lowest "card" rates (the one part of the fairness doctrine that should be restored).

You're not going to eliminate big money in politics but you can limit the need for the money.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
creeksneakers2 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 05:22 PM
Response to Original message
9. There's no way to control it all from the money end
But evil money only changes hands when exchanged for something wrongful that the politician wouldn't do unless paid. Those policy activities are far easier to watch.
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
upi402 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun May-03-09 05:25 PM
Response to Original message
10. yeah, we'd need an actual opposition party first
Edited on Sun May-03-09 05:26 PM by upi402
imho
the Obama camp is corporatist, and every bit as anti-worker as the country's best Republican ever... Bill Clinton! yay for the betrayal of democracy!!!:bounce:

...:sarcasm:
Printer Friendly | Permalink |  | Top
 
DU AdBot (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author Click to view 
this author's profile Click to add 
this author to your buddy list Click to add 
this author to your Ignore list Thu Dec 26th 2024, 07:45 PM
Response to Original message
Advertisements [?]
 Top

Home » Discuss » Archives » General Discussion (1/22-2007 thru 12/14/2010) Donate to DU

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators


Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.

Home  |  Discussion Forums  |  Journals |  Store  |  Donate

About DU  |  Contact Us  |  Privacy Policy

Got a message for Democratic Underground? Click here to send us a message.

© 2001 - 2011 Democratic Underground, LLC