1 / 41

opensecrets/pres08/index.php

http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/index.php. Campaign Structure. Running For President. Campaign Finance . Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money. Campaign Finance Reform. What is “campaign finance” rules? Do campaign Finance rules protect or inhibit democracy?.

melodie-mckay
Download Presentation

opensecrets/pres08/index.php

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/index.php

  2. Campaign Structure

  3. Running For President

  4. Campaign Finance Mo Money, Mo Money, Mo Money

  5. Campaign Finance Reform What is “campaign finance” rules? Do campaign Finance rules protect or inhibit democracy?

  6. Overview History of Campaign Finance Regulation • Beginning of time—Civil War: No regulation • Civil War—1910 • Gilded Age • Exceptionally scandalous politicians nationally • Boss Tweed • 1868: 75% of money used in congressional elections through party assessments • 1883: Civil Service Reform Act (Pendleton Act) prohibits the same solicitation of all federal workers • Prohibits elected officials and employees of the fed. gov’t from soliciting contributions • Hatch Act … participating in engaging in partisan political activity www.mit.edu/~17.251/finance.ppt

  7. Overview History of Campaign Finance Regulation • Watergate • FECA FEC • Soft $ vs. Hard $ Restrictions • PACs • Buckley v. Valeo • (A) the option of taxpayers to contribute a dollar to presidential campaigns on their income tax forms. (B) the restriction of citizen contributions per candidate. (C) the regulation of PAC contributions to candidates. (D) the restriction of spending amounts by candidates who decided not to accept matching funds. (E) the creation of the Federal Election Commission.

  8. General Rules of Campaign Finance:

  9. General Rules from FEC Act • There is no limit to the amount of money that a candidate can spend on a campaign, but limits placed on donations made to a candidate’s campaign are constitutional (Buckley v. Valeo) • Corporations & labor unions are not permitted to make contributions to candidates • Hard Money contributions are those that have strict legal limits. Soft Money contributions are those that are unregulated and do not have limits. • Contributions made to candidates and PACs have strict limits. Contributions made to political parties are now also limited.

  10. Individual Contributor Candidate “A” Individual Contributor $ Individual Contributor $ Candidate “B” $ Individual Contributor $ $ PAC State Party Committee Individual Contributor $ Individual Contributor $ National Party Committee $ $ Individual Contributor Individual Contributor TV & Radio Ads Individual Contributor Individuals can contribute a maximum of $5,000 to a PAC per year

  11. Soft Money Problem • Accounted for 35% of all $ raised by Rep. • Accounted for 47 % of all $ raised by Dem • Together = ½ billion dollars • Which Party relies the most on soft money? • BCRA?

  12. McCain-Feingold (BCRA 2002)

  13. How much money can an individual donate to a candidate committee per election? • How much money can a PAC donate to a candidate committee per election? • How much money can a National Party Committee donate to a candidate committee per election? • How much money can an individual give to a Political Action Committee (PAC) each year? • How much money can an individual give to a National Party Committee each year? • Why do you think there are limits on campaign donations? http://www.fec.gov/pages/brochures/contriblimits.shtml

  14. Loopholes “Independent Expenditures” • Define: • Candidate involvement? • Disclosure? • BCRA Reforms on Broadcasting? • Birth of 527 (open secrets) • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9GVwZ9N650 • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQobIUE1zTU • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9WKimKIyUQ • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HXEQD542O4

  15. 2012 Super PAC • RINO Romney • History Lesson • News Report

  16. Special Interest Groups Against • NRCC, Emily’s List, AFL-CIO, NRA, NAACP • Hamper Voter Mobilization efforts of “non-profits/Non-partisans” • Regulation of speech beyond FEC jurisdiction • Fear FEC ruling on “case-by-case” basis • Rules favor Large Broadcasting Comp. • Limit Free speech For • Common Cause • Fear PP funnel $ into groups. • Force PP and Candidates to broaden base = broaden participation

  17. Unintended and Intended Effects of Reform (1974 & 2002) Intended effects??? • get fundraising out in the open • minimize wealthy special interest groups • encourage fundraising from broader base of small contributors

  18. Unintended Effects 1. Effect on PAC’s and 527?

  19. 2. Power of the Party??? • Takes funding campaigns away from party and into private sector Disadv. To Challenger? • complex rules and regulations • winning campaigns need at least a ½ million • Harder to catch up with opponents “War chest”

  20. 4. Timing of a Campaign? • Penalize late starters • Incumbents

  21. PACs: Do they promote democracy or inhibit?

  22. Diversity and PACs Direct mail and labor Unions non-dem. Pres vs. Cong PACs “golden campaign list” “in-kind gifts” Independent spending Vote Buying? Madison and Factions PACs: Do they promote democracy or inhibit?

  23. Does $ Buy Votes or Just Access? • $ and “in-kind” gifts = access • Dairy PACs and votes for Higher Prices • 5,000$ or 5,000 votes • Multiple factors influence a vote

  24. Money and Winning What decides Elections • Congressional • Money- Incumbent factor • General Election for President • Less money, more: • Party Identification • Issues (Economy) • Campaigns

  25. 3 Factors in Winning an Election 1. Party • 80% of voters Identify w/ 2 Major Parties • Election hangs on “Swing Voter” • “If more people identify with the Democratic party than the Republican party, why have Republicans won more recent presidential elections?” • Republican Party Stronger • 1968-2004 won 7/10 • More loyal: 72’ and 84 • Win Independent Vote (except 92, 96) • Vote More: 2004

  26. 2. Issues • Voter Education not required • Prospective Voting • Informative • Time Consuming • Single Issue concerns • Activist • Rep a Minority – yet still influential (special Interest groups)

  27. Issues • Retrospective • Comparing Past to Present • Have things gotten better or worse (Kerry, Reagan) • Decide Elections • 1980, (82) 84, 88, 92, (2008?) • Congressional Incumbents

  28. 3. Campaign • Influence voters in 3 ways • Reawaken Party Loyalty • Visible under pressure • Negative ads: 88 Bush v Dukakis • Successful and leads to spot ads • Character Judgment • Voters focus on Themes and Tone • Judge Character • Increase in TV Spots • Valance Issues and details

  29. Finding a Winning Coalition • Holding base, attracting swing voters • Who supports (loyalty) and to what extent (importance)? • Dem: • Af. Am, Jewish, • Hispanics: Sleeping Giant(Mex. Am & P.R vs. Cuban) • Catholics, Southern, Unions (less loyal) • Rep: • Business/Prof/Christian Right most loyal • Farmers/poor

  30. Readings • Student Worksheet 1: MO Money… • “Campaign Finance Reform. What’s the Issue” • “Soft Money ain’t want it used to be” • Questions and answers -chart • Student Worksheet 2 • Liberals split on shaping of Campaign Finance Rules • NRA files suit • Common Cause • Activity Debate • After discussion on Campaign Finance Reform (reading and discussing articles and viewing pp • HW: Using all resources (articles, chart, notes) prepare for a classroom debate on Campaign Finance Reform • Organize and frame logical, compelling, well reasoned arguments for both sides of the issue

  31. Money Spent

  32. BACK

  33. Activity Debate • HW: Using all resources (articles, chart, notes) prepare for a classroom debate on Campaign Finance Reform. • Organize and frame logical, compelling, well reasoned arguments for both sides of the issue. • Issue: Campaign Finance Reform: Does it protect or inhibit democracy? • Position A: • ? • ? • ? • Position B: • ? • ? • ?

  34. Debate • Students Pair up • I will give you a prompt question • Both sides will get 1 min to collect thoughts • First person will defend for 30-45 sec • Second person will repeat what was said… “I heard you say…” • Second person had 30-45 sec defend opposite side • Opponent will repeat what was said “I heard you say…” A second prompt will be given. • Switch turns and positions.

  35. Prompt #1 • Elections should be publicly financed • Red-yes • Black- no

  36. Prompt #2 • Campaign finance reform has been successful in redistributing political influence. • Black yes • Red no

  37. Prompt #3 • Political Action Committees negatively influence elections and votes in Congress • Red- agree • Black – disagree

  38. Prompt #4 • BCRA and campaign financing laws undermines the existence of Ideological groups (special interest) and weakens their influence • Black yes • Red no

  39. Consensus & Extension Campaign Finance Reform: Does it protect or inhibit democracy? • Work together to integrate the most powerful arguments from both positions • Meld them into a position both can agree on • Extension • Finish the sentence: • Wouldn’t it be interesting if…

More Related