Should 527 groups be stopped?

[Bandit]

Remember 527 groups are just people pooling their resources together so they have a voice in what matters to them. I think if 527s are to be gotten rid of then all campaign contributions should go. Elections should be funded by the tax payers alone and no one should be allowed to have any more voice than the lowliest of Americans. We really need public financed elections. The way it is now without 527s we would have no way at all to be heard. You think a politician is going to pay you any attention if all you can do for them is your limited contribution?

[Kagemusha]

1. Bush is such a hypocrite. He said more, not less, freedom.

And look at him here. He wants less, not more, freedom to spend money in election campaigns away from the organized political parties. In other words, people who care about the outcome of the election should shut the (blank) up and let the politicians handle things.

[prodigal_green]

2. No, they shouldn't

but they shouldn't be allowed to slander (or is it libel, I always get them confused).

Bush's response to the Scum Boat Vermin is, I think all 527s should be banned. Of course, the Republican party gets a lot more corporate funding, so that would work to their advantage.

What we need to do is bring back the fairness doctrine to the FCC.

[Kagemusha]

3. J. Jonah Jameson would so fire you now.

Libel's written, slander is spoke (or broadcast).

[prodigal_green]

9. Thanks!

I've never been able to keep them straight. But if I think Slander/Spoken (onemonepaeically), then I think I'll get it right from now on.

[rocktivity]

4. If they go, then the lobbyists should, too

No PACs, none of that stuff!

:headbang:
rocknation

[DianeG5385]

5. That's exactly what Geo. Bush* wants

527s helped level the money playing field for the dems. Bush* doesn't want a level playing field so he's trying to shove this down our throats so that they are perceived as evil. If they go away, so will whatever voice we have left, especially if those idiots win. Our only hope is if the public is so turned off by B* tactics that there is a significant shift in the polls towards Kerry. THAT'LL shut up the swifties!

[Nite Owl]

8. I would wish it so

but they work and * knows it. We didn't have a candidate named McCain running after the primaries in '00 did we?

[Guaranteed]

6. Right. Kerry oughta come back and tell Bush to read the

freaking Constitution.

[Nite Owl]

7. I see nothing wrong with

the 527's but their ads should be subjected to some sort of standards. Just because they are independent doesn't mean that they can blatantly lie. Would Coke be able to get away with saying that Pepsi had used something dangerous in their products if it weren't true? And yes public financing is the only way to go.

[napi21]

10. I would vote for public funding in a heartbeat, but it'll never pass!

The people who would have to pass it get NO BENEFIT at all! The oly way I can ever see it happening is by ballot referendum, and I'm not positive if you can do that in every state. Even if you couold, we haven't been able to get a large majority of Americans to agree on anything for a very long time.

All during the time McCain/Finegold was being argued, I kept saying, if every candidate received the exact same amount of $$ and weren't permitted to spend ANY MORE than that, they would have to pick their ads very carefully so as not to waste any precious expensive airtime.

Gee, it could even benefit the corps that are funding these people. Think of how much $$ they'd save if they didn't have to hire lobbiests, and make all those donations!!!

[Danger Duck]

11. 527's are a result

of campaign finance reform, which Bush opposed. Money will always find a way in politics, it doesn't matter what you make illegal, a different channel will always open up. I know there is a lot of idealism, but the duck is not idealistic. Sorry to speaking in third person, but sometimes the Duck grows weary of idealism, and just wishes his party would play to win.

Quit whining about money and win.

[tandot]

12. No...as long as the stick to the issues and don't make sh*t up

I don't mind them attacking the record...as long as they are not lying about stuff, making stuff up, or claiming things that they can't prove.

If they stick to that principle, they are a great tool...especially for Democrats. Look at Bush's record: One negative thing after another. We wouldn't have to make up anything. We would just show Americans how Bush wrecked the economy, environment, health-care, and the relationship with allies around the world.

[Cleita]

13. After Kerry is elected,

we need a real grass roots movement for election reform. We need to discuss publically financed election, runoff voting, BBV, and the way we do primaries. We need to start moving toward a true democracy, not away from it like has happened in the last fifty years.