Is Barack Obama Trying to Purchase the Presidency?
In June, the rhetoric ended -- as it has several times since.
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama had declared publicly that he wanted to "lead by example," by "turning down all contributions from federal lobbyists and the political action committees that the special interests use to pass out campaign money."
And then suddenly, Obama changed his mind. Contributions from federal lobbyists were suddenly OK. Special interest money was suddenly in vogue. The rhetoric just ... suddenly ... stopped.
The quotes were pulled from his web site. His minions no longer spoke of it, or if the pundits pushed the issue, Obama's underlings did their best to make sure the eyes of anyone listening glazed over in boredom. They took advantage of the yawns that campaign financing discussions tend to elicit.
The bottom line, though? Obama raised more than $250 million. That's a quarter of a billion dollars. That's more money than any presidential candidate has ever raised in the history of presidential elections. That's more money than any candidate would know what to do with, and it's certainly more money than Obama knows what to do with.
Republican candidate John McCain, whose principles prevented him from accepting special interest money (and may be costing him the election), stuck by his pledge to take the public financing, which is drawn from the fund created by taxpayers who checked the optional $3 presidential campaign fund donation box on their tax returns. McCain's decision put him at a colossal disadvantage. By accepting the public financing, he was only able to raise $84.1 million.
McCain has been a leading advocate for campaign finance reform for years. In one of his major bipartisan efforts (one of many, actually), McCain and Democrat Russ Feingold drafted the McCain-Feingold Act, which regulates how campaigns are financed. The goals of the law, which politicians can opt out of (as Obama did), are aimed at hindering special interest and non-candidate campaign influence.
Since 1867, politicians have understood the problem campaign financing can create. A candidate who raises 10 times more money than a candidate he opposes has the resources to buy just about anything. While opponents of campaign finance reform maintain that the donations to a campaign simply reflect the candidate's support, this just isn't true -- especially in a presidential campaign, where big-money donors are plentiful for both Democrats and Republicans. Regardless of personal wealth, the chances for a candidate to buy public office in a capitalist society like the US is extremely possible and, as we're seeing in this campaign, highly probable.
Although there are many lies being told in this campaign, Obama's acceptance, then rejection, of campaign finance reform is one irrefutable lie that may change the way campaigns are financed forever. After all, what candidate is going to opt in for the public financing when there are so many dollars to be had above and beyond the public limit? Not only does Obama's lie destroy the playing field in this election, it may ultimately kill any prospects of campaign finance reform for the future.
Imagine how different this race would have been had McCain rejected his own reform act and turned to private-sector financing? What could McCain have done if he were able to raise a quarter of a billion dollars? How different would the race have been had Obama kept his word and opted in for the public financing? Would the polls be any different?
But what if McCain does win tomorrow? What will that say about the return Obama got on his historic investment?
It's a question I've found myself asking again and again during this campaign: how much is too much?
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Comments
Nice you mention campaign financing legislation considering the way the McCain campaign has been working around the laws when it comes to foreign contributions: http://www.iamdon.com/mccain.asp.
Your comments on that would be fascinating.
I am fascinated by the oxymoron implicit in the link “Conservatives Thinkers and Idealogues”. Conservative or otherwise, how does a ‘thinker’ fall into the category of idealogue?
Of course, Justin. I noticed the change, too. Unfortunately, a principled man is ahead of the change curve, if it ever occurs. I wrote about John today on the election blog. I dedicate my today’s post to you for your prescient call on Sarah and your steadfast support for John. Are they following you on Twitter, too? Both of them like to see positive posts about the election.
http://election.about.com/b/2008/11/03/why-john-mccains-election-matters.htm
Regards,
Susan
O come on
Barack Obama isn’t trying to buy an election. The American people are sick and tired of the limited ideology of the Republican party. I’m one of them…and I’ve never voted Democrat before. I’m a Moderate Republican who is sick and tired of the far right running the party. At this point, either we create a third party or I’m voting Democrat from now on. Many of us Republican’s are pro choice (save late term abortions), are supportive of gay men & women and are ok with giving away a few extra dollars to have some programs that work. Sorry to say but the Republican party is no longer a place for me.
Why didn’t we see this kind of commentary when the Republicans were outraising Democrats by more than 2 to 1? Sour grapes….
Mc CANE + Palin = 4 More years of Mega Pain
McPain08,
NeoCONs please stop.. You guys Have been making US feel treatened using fear tactic to start a war which D*ck’s CO has made rich off of while killing 5000+
Dem’s children who are in Military, drive up the oil price for good of Bu*h family and caused serious Global Warming in the process as a result entire world
hates US now. D*ck stop screwing with Russia, China they have the Nucks as well. Bombing in Syria and killing people, no matter who it is, is just not
forgiveable. Are we Supreme Being? Do we have rights in Syria to go there and bomb without declaration of war? I am just scare shitless.
Then doing so poorly on the internal job of regulating, we don’t have food that’s safe to eat, products from China making us sick, public infrastructurs
falling apart, economy thrown into shambles and you are trying to steal another Trillions of tax money to share with your financial buddies. Remember we
have another trillions of dept with mounting interests.
Revelation Chapter 6, Verse 8.
Please stop…
Then you would make this war prisoner become another puppet who can’t even pick VP right, who probably was the reason why we lost the Vietnam to Vietcon.
Being prisoner for over 5 years while his father is commander of the entire military was probably the reason why we lost the battles then withdrawal
shamfully. Vietcons might have threatened his family to lose the battledreated war boddies, don’t mention that war record again. Go take a hike and retire
peacefully.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jZkvAoNa5o
D*ck and B*sh please stop scr*wing and fu*king US. Anyhow endorsement from Major D*ck have actually hurt the McPain so thank you very much in that regard.
Keep up those good works.
Obama is the most excellent person to be president right now; maybe he’s God sent. He is half black and half white: His black father graduated from Harvard
PHD. Then he’s been raised by his white mother’s parents whom dedicated their lives to raise him to become most excellent person of our lives. He is more
white than black not that there’s anything wrong with being black. I am just wondering why white supremist’s targetting him as a black. He graduated from
Harvard Law with Honours and he was the first black president of Harvard Law Review. Only genius can do this I believe. He understands both Muslim and
Christnatity. He’s travelled all over the world and understands all the culture which is all I want for my next President to be qualified for foreign affair.
Gobama!!!!