campaign finance reform. dead issue?

[Revolution9]

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?

[anonymous171]

1. How about preventing businesses from lobbying?

Or would that be too difficult to accomplish?

[Revolution9]

3. that is kinda the question.

is it possible to take them out of the game by just a robust public finance system.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. I'd love to have public financing only across the board.

[Revolution9]

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

[HowHasItComeToThis]

5. THESE ARE BOUGHT MEN

[blueclown]

6. Did you forget how Obama won his election?

Obama single-handedly killed public financing.

[Revolution9]

7. oh no. i remember.

that is why i asked if it were a dead issue.

[Yupster]

11. I don't see why Obama would push this issue

since he can outraise his opponents massively under the current system.

[KharmaTrain]

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.

[creeksneakers2]

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.

[upi402]

10. yeah, we'd need an actual opposition party first

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: