Thank you Citizen United.

[davidmash]

Until the money gets out of politics I think we are screwed.

Super PAC disclosure

[Chas H]

Originally Posted by davidmash

Until the money gets out of politics I think we are screwed.

Super PAC disclosure

Thank the Supremes instead.

[raymr]

It's important to be educated about Super PACs and to know who their supporters are, and what their real intentions are behind the folksy names. Unfortunately there are a lot of stupid people out there....

[LaRondo]

We are living in a Dictatorial Democracy.
I said it many times b4: What is the point of having 'Free Speech', if nobody listens?
Esp. not our elected servants.

[LaRondo]

Originally Posted by davidmash

Until the money gets out of politics I think we are screwed.

Super PAC disclosure

The game is rigged. How about "Free Elections"?

[Can't Know]

Originally Posted by davidmash

Until the money gets out of politics I think we are screwed.

Absent money there would be little interest in politics...at least from the candidates.

[t walgamuth]

Campaign finance reform is badly needed. We are getting it but it is moving in the wrong direction....

Yes, thank the R dominated supreme court.

The mantra that led to this unlimited funding by corporations of the super pacs was free speech. Wealthy people and corps when limited in their purchasing of political power are having their freedom of speech limited.

A totally fictional leap for an ordinary person but totally logical in the R world but totally normal for the pattern of "honesty" of the world of big money R politics.

[Botnst]

Originally Posted by LaRondo

The game is rigged. How about "Free Elections"?

Who would pay for 'free elections'?

[Botnst]

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

Campaign finance reform is badly needed. We are getting it but it is moving in the wrong direction....

Yes, thank the R dominated supreme court.

The mantra that led to this unlimited funding by corporations of the super pacs was free speech. Wealthy people and corps when limited in their purchasing of political power are having their freedom of speech limited.

A totally fictional leap for an ordinary person but totally logical in the R world but totally normal for the pattern of "honesty" of the world of big money R politics.

How would you get money out of elections?

[MS Fowler]

^^^Exactly.
As long as the federal government controls almost everything, it is incumbent on business to try and influence the government to favor them, as opposed to their competition.

Do you think that public (i.e. tax-payer) financed elections are the answer?
Think that through carefully before you answer.
Public financing would simply establish the political class as the power-brokers forever. They write the laws that we live under. They would most certainly write public financing laws to favor incumbency--which is already a tremendous advantage. All public financing of elections would do is to make an election campaign by an outsider even more difficult.
Is that the result you want?

[MTI]

Another shameless promotion for "class warfare" . . . trying to create a wedge between the rich campaign supporters and the poor ones . . .

[t walgamuth]

Public financing of the elections through providing free air time at specific times might work.

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by MS Fowler

^^^Exactly.
As long as the federal government controls almost everything, it is incumbent on business to try and influence the government to favor them, as opposed to their competition.

Do you think that public (i.e. tax-payer) financed elections are the answer?
Think that through carefully before you answer.
Public financing would simply establish the political class as the power-brokers forever. They write the laws that we live under. They would most certainly write public financing laws to favor incumbency--which is already a tremendous advantage. All public financing of elections would do is to make an election campaign by an outsider even more difficult.
Is that the result you want?

This is a typical Republican apologia for legalized corporate bribery.

Your message reads like it was written by a higly paid lobbyist for a multi billion dollar corporate interest.

This is utterly disgusting.

I am sorry that you think the Corporations should be allowed to bribe the politicians and make them the puppets that write the laws the Corporations want everyone to live under.

[MS Fowler]

Originally Posted by Jim B.

This is a typical Republican apologia for legalized corporate bribery.

Your message reads like it was written by a higly paid lobbyist for a multi billion dollar corporate interest.

This is utterly disgusting.

I am sorry that you think the Corporations should be allowed to bribe the politicians and make them the puppets that write the laws the Corporations want everyone to live under.

I only wish I was a highly paid anything.
I am sorry you think I believe politicians should be puppets. If politicians don't have the morals to avoid being bribed they should be jailed--maybe that would give them a backbone.
Too bad you can't agree that government is at least part of the problem.

[davidmash]

I think public financing of elections is the answer, or at least one possibility. For Congress, each incumbent gets $1 250k (random number for example purposes) and each competitor gets perhaps 50% more. Debates are required in order to get funding and they are numerous. No private funding permitted. Campaigning is permitted for 2 months. Perhaps allow two or three half hour segments for each candidate to out line their beliefs.

In conjunction with this there must be lobbyist reforms. No lobbyist may work for any government agency for 10 years. No government employee can work for lobbyists for 10 years. No government employee can receive any gift period. No trips, no gift cards... nothing. Any junket must be approved and come out of a preallocated travel budget.

Get the money out and may be we can get our government back.