Think About It Now

Campaign Finance

According to today's experts on the Lehrer Report, any serious contender in the 2008 presidential campaign will likely need $200,000,000 before their convention just to be a serious contender in their party. Democrats and Republicans alike need to raise something in the neighborhood of $2,000,000...per week!

$2,000,000 per week

Holy crap!!!

Could this money ($2,000,000,000+, depending on how many serious candidates there are) be spent on better things?!!! Let's face it. We are essentially electing our "leaders" based entirely on their ability to raise cash.

What does this mean?

Well, some would argue that only people with public support can win the front spots in their party. The primaries are based on public support. To some extent this is true, of course. Even people with little or no money to spare on political donates vote. It is also argued that the greater the general support, the greater the donations (and the greater the ability to appeal to a larger number of people).

Okay...

The greater the public support, the greater donations. Ya think?! How many people do you know today that can even name more than two of the hopefuls in either party? Keeping in mind that each and every one will need in the neighborhood $2,000,000 per week from now, where do you think that money is coming from?! You can bet it's not coming from the average person on the street kicking in $20-50 bucks because they think one of these potential candidates can best best represent them...esp. this early on.

I won't belabor the evils of lobbyists here. I'll save it for another post. Suffice it to say, that to get elected to a high position in this country you need big-business and special-interest money. I don't care if you are Democrat or Republican...that money is coming from someplace. Does anyone really think that money comes with no attachments?

This country needs a system where there is an equal playing field for everyone that runs for public office. How about a set fund divided equally among candidates? No other money allowed. A set amount of free air time and ad space. Equality across the board, with external money sources out of the picture. Do you think we would be electing the same people if money was no longer an issue?!!!

We are electing the wrong people. I can think of hundreds I would trust to represent me in government, but I can't think of too many that could possibly manage to actually get elected.

We are electing money-raisers...and the pay-backs they owe are killing the country!

Labels: capaign finance

posted by Steve @ 1:07 AM