I Hope Kerry Asks To Dismantle The 527's

[DrFunkenstein]

I would like to see the 527's go away, too - but along with the $2000 hard money allowance and the price gouging television ads. Obviously, the 527's would remain in place for this election (duh).

A good start would be to get something akin to the Kerry-Wellstone Clean Money, Clean Elections act passed.

Here's The Nation on Kerry's commitment to campaign finance reform:

Kerry was in another lonely position as one of only five original sponsors of the Clean Money, Clean Elections Act, to provide for full public financing of Congressional elections. The measure would remove practically all special-interest money from House and Senate campaigns. (Kerry's colleagues were Wellstone, Leahy, John Glenn and Joe Biden--all Democrats.) "Kerry was totally into it," says Ellen Miller, former executive director of Public Campaign, a reform group pressing for the legislation. "He believes in this stuff."

In introducing the legislation, Kerry said on the Senate floor, "Special interest money is moving and dictating and governing the agenda of American politics.... If we want to regain the respect and confidence of the American people, and if we want to reconnect to them and reconnect them to our democracy, we have to get the special interest money out of politics." He was also a backer of the better-known McCain-Feingold legislation, a more modest and (some might say) problematic approach to campaign reform.

But over the years he's pointed to the Clean Money, Clean Elections Act as the real reform. "It is a tough position in Congress to be for dramatic change in financing elections," says Miller. "It's gutsy to go out and say, 'Let's provide a financially leveled playing field so there is more competition for incumbents.' Kerry and Wellstone were the leaders and took a giant step. It was remarkable."

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20040315&c=3&s=corn

[JI7]

1. here is a nice pic with Kerry and Wellstone

although not very clear the moment is still nice (and i like the plan kerry and wellstone tried to get passed)

[SidDithers]

2. Kerry looks like he's gonna give Wellstone a noogie...

"C'mere ya little knucklehead"

Looks like a genuine moment, in an environment where you don't see that too often.

Sid

[DrFunkenstein]

5. A Major Victory In An Issue Close To Both Their Hearts

The environment, which is on the losing end of most political battles - until the Kerry Presidency, that is.

[JDPriestly]

3. The problem with complex campaign finance reform

is illustrated by the 527 controversy. It inevitably diminishes the right to free speech. The problem with the Swift Boat Liars is -- that they are liars -- not that they are a 527.

[Karenina]

4. BINGO!

[cheezus]

9. how does it diminish free speech?

[depakid]

6. I agree with you, but only if we can also pass

the Political Campaign Broadcast Activity Improvements Act

See: http://freeairtime.org/docs/index.php?DocID=36

Essentially, this bill would:

Require that broadcast stations air at least two hours a week of candidate-centered or issue-centered programming in the period before the election.

Enable qualifying federal candidates and national parties to receive up to $750 million worth of broadcast vouchers to be used for political advertisements on television and radio stations in each two-year election cycle. The voucher system will be financed by a spectrum use fee of not more than one percent of the gross revenues of broadcast license holders.

Close loopholes in the “lowest unit cost” rule to ensure that candidates receive the same advertising rates that stations give to other advertisers.

Unfortunately, the below graphic illustrates why pasing this will be, shall we say, problematic:

[Cheswick2.0]

7. There is nothing wrong with the 527s

There is something wrong with lies and slander.

[DrFunkenstein]

11. There Would Be If Conservatives Funneled Money Into Them

This can bite us in the ass just as easily as the Democrats' "Free speech zone" can. This is a great opportunity to move forward with the issue of campaign finance reform. I'm glad that anti-Bush sentiment has generated so much money to compete with corporate donors, but that won't be the case next time around.

[markus]

8. No, never, please no

527 (and PACs) are, at the end of the day, levelers of the playing field.

And I don't think you can get anything through Congress more restrictive of what we have how.

What the 527s need is donation disclosure, if they don't have that. Openess cures a great deal.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

10. What about Buckley v. Valeo? Isn't that the root of the CFR problem? nt