All of this 527 stuff needs to be outlawed.

[Renew Deal]

I thought we were rid of this stuff after the latest campaign finance bill was passed. I guess not. These types of ads should be outlawed in the last 60 or so days of a campaign. They are nasty and only harm the discourse. It is impossible to focus on real issues in this country. The negative ads and lack of issue based discussion is destroying this country. People have no idea who they're voting for or why. We need to go to $100 max donations and publicly financed presidential campaigns. There is too much money which allows people to get way too nasty. I am sick of it.

[Eric J in MN]

1. I thought McCain-Feingold did ban 527 ads during the last 60 days (nt)

nt

[AlCzervik]

13. I thought they could run ads during the last 60 days as long as they don't

mention the candidate they'd like to win.

[boxster]

2. Unfortunately, the campaign finance bill was pretty well gutted before it

was passed. All we seem to have gained is the "I'm the candidate and I approve this message" stuff.

I agree on publicly-funded campaigns, though I also don't think that they'll ever happen. Too many people with too much money and too much power for public financing to pass.

[gospelized]

3. huh

"discource?" what the fuck is that? you mean the constant barrage of repulsive lies coming from the right? you can't get much lower than that.

i don't think they should be banned at all. i think they should be examined and scrutinized and torn apart if they are found to be lies. other than that there is nothing wrong with them really.

[gospelized]

6. ..

but of course to do what i described in my last post, we would need a media that are more than bush apologists and actually do some investigative journalism. so fat chance.

[Athletic Grrl]

4. As I understand it...

...527 ads cannot be run on TV or radio during the last 60 days of the election cycle, but ads can be run online. I'm not sure about print media.

Leave it to the slimy lawyers to find the loopholes in the campaign finance reform bill.

[movonne]

5. You may find it nasty.. The only time bush wants them taken off

is when he saw that they were getting lots of money from the people. He has the corporations donating millions of dollars. So this seems the way politics is going.

[BootinUp]

7. Nope

Let the people speak. A nasty ad is not the result of 527's they are the result of the partisan atmosphere and the lies that have been spewed for so long by RW talk radio and complicity by the corporate media. 527's can be a way to get the truth out too.

If you included this along with other campaign finance reform and more controls over money from corporations, and some form of the Fairness Doctrine, then I might agree. Until then, this is one of the few ways to be heard.

[Jim Sagle]

8. Chickenshit bullshit.

[Renew Deal]

10. Profound

You think of that yourself? I mean the depth. It's stunning.

[Jim Sagle]

12. No, I think that of your post.

McCain-Feingold left 527s on the table. Let 'em rip.

[Radical Activist]

9. Political ads should be free for political campaigns

Attacks would have to come from the candidates or not come at all, and you wouldn't have to raise millions from corporate special interests to run for office.

[KittyWampus]

11. I Am Ambivalent Bleachers... Maybe If We Got The Holy Grail

of campaign finance- public funding.

Still, people should be allowed to have their voices heard.

:shrug:

I can find no certainty on this issue.