Reining In Anti-Bush Groups

[Khephra]

The Federal Election Commission yesterday set in motion regulatory proceedings that could severely restrict new pro-Democratic groups seeking to defeat President Bush.

The proposed regulations, drafted by the agency's general counsel, would severely crimp the fundraising and spending activities of "527" groups, named for the section of the tax code that governs their activities. But advocates of the tough regulations suffered a setback when a Democratic commissioner in a position to cast the key swing vote said she is likely to oppose any changes in the rules that would take effect before the November elections.

The FEC, normally a backwater among Washington agencies, has become a battlefield pitting a flush Republican Party and a Bush campaign with a $100 million-plus war chest against a Democratic Party suffering from a 2 to 1 financial disadvantage. The Republican National Committee, joined by a number of campaign watchdog groups, is pressing the six-member commission to rule that a network of pro-Democratic organizations with a plan to spend as much as $300 million this year, most of it "soft money," is breaking the law.

These groups, collectively functioning as a "shadow" Democratic Party, are a key part of a Democratic presidential campaign strategy that seeks to fill the vacuum created by a new ban on the raising of large soft-money contributions from unions, corporations and rich people imposed by the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.

more...........................

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31690-2004Mar4.html

[TinaTyson]

1. I don't understand why he has such a big advantage in funds.

Who is still backing him? Seems like everyone is against him , so why would thye waste thier money?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

11. Who's backing him?

The 1% of the country that controls 40% of our wealth. That's who.

[symbolman]

2. Ain't gonna stop me

I'm a private citizen and I'll create all the damn animations and host them that I want..

like the one below "BUSH KNEW - An American Requiem"

remember, THEY CAN'T WIN if they DON'T CHEAT!

[Sugarbleus]

3. It's one of the few things I don't understand about campaign

finance. How come Bush has zillions of dollars to spend, and where did he get it? Then why can't the Dems get their money from the same/like sources?

Without knowing the answer to this, the whole idea of banning or curtailing the "groups" that support dems sounds illegal???

[izzie]

4. Well I can not give 2000 and I know few who can but,,

2000 adds up fast over my $10

[Sugarbleus]

7. You bet! I sent in my bucks today.....every bit helps I guess. eom

[qanda]

12. I was looking at opensecrets.org

And the majority of people who send Bush* money, send him the maximum amount allowed. It was really weird.

[Atlant]

9. Because Democrats throw away their good candidates in favor of wusses. NT

[SoCalDem]

10. Family income has a lot to do with it..

Republican families are thought to be of higher income (hence the need to BE republican), and as a "ferinstance".. A family of 4 making 600,000 a year could easliy afford to drop $8K in primary and another $8K druing the general ...BUT a blue collar family earning $50K before taxes, would have a harder time parting with $16K worth of income to a candidate..

[Khephra]

5. kick

[tedoll78]

6. I don't get it.

The campaign finance laws were written to prevent CANDIDATE-DONOR corruption.. not GROUP-DONOR corruption. I hope that this interpretation ends-up challenged in court somehow.

[underpants]

13. The Repubs are trying to keep the playing field uneven

If they don't have a monsterous advantage in money they are screwed.

[SoCalDem]

8. Their "shadow" organizations are GIVEN free airtime

whenever they ask.. Look at all the "experts" from CATO, Heritage, AIE and all the other phony groups. There is not a day that passes, that 3 or 4 of them are not on the air bloviating about how wonderful the tax cuts are or what a great war-time president * is..

Every single clear-channel station and all the rightwing crappola "shows" that they air are FREE infomercials for * 24/7..

The fact that we might have a few opportunities to air PAID ads to counter the tripe that we are fed nonstop, just cannot be allowed (according to the WH).. What a bunch of assholes.. Are they so unsure of their positions, that no one should be allowed to even comment on them???

If this goes through, I DEMAND that clear channel and the rightwing radio shows be taken to task as well..