McCain warns FEC to act on 'soft' cash (or he'll sue)

[joeunderdog]

Sen. John McCain threatened yesterday to sue the Federal Election Commission if it fails to enforce federal election laws against groups that use "soft money" to influence presidential and congressional races.
snip
A "527 group," named for the section of the IRS code under which it files taxes, is a private nonprofit political organization with the primary goal of influencing elections at the state and local level.
A large number of 527 groups, most with ties to the Democratic Party, have been created recently. On Tuesday, President Bush's re-election campaign asked the FEC to investigate whether a $5 million, 17-state TV ad campaign by a 527 group, the Media Fund, is illegal. The ad names Mr. Bush and says "it's time to take our country back."
The Media Fund, along with groups such as MoveOn.org, has been financed with huge amounts of "soft money," unregulated contributions from corporations, unions and businesses.


http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040311-122744-2030r.htm

What political group does NOT have as its intention influencing politics?

[Langis]

1. What the hell is the point of the 60 and 30 day window?

I thought the 60 and 30 day for primaries was when they can not run political ads? This is Bullshit.

[Webster Green]

2. Actually, these groups have leveled the playing field.....

There is nothing the repukes hate more than fair play.

[JaySherman]

3. Exactly

Groups like moveon.org have affored us the opportunity to "take our country back," so to speak, and the damn Repugs are trying to take it all away from us. I am really sick and tired of this crap.

And to think anyone ever entertained the thought, however briefly, of a Kerry-McCain ticket. This guy is a soulless shill just like the rest of them. To hell with them all!

:mad::mad::mad:

[baby_bear]

5. My thoughts exactly, JaySherman

But, from how I understand the law, as long as Kerry's campaign and these organizations are not colluding or organizing or even talking to each other, it's going to be tough to stop ACT, moveon.org and any others whose goal it is to educate the public about what a dreadful "president" Bush has been and how terrible it would be to give him another four years to wreak havoc over the planet.

Shame on McCain. His new actions make it seem that his support for campaign finance was simply to sway the balance even more to the Republican side.

Shame on you, McCain.


s_m

[JaySherman]

9. That was my understanding

If they're not directly donating money to Kerry or endorsing him in any way, what's the problem? It's simply an exercise of free speech. Of course when did Repugs ever support free speech, especially coming from the unwashed masses?

[dax]

4. I resent that-I am one of the hundreds of thousands who donated

I am a letter carrier not a corporation or a union-what a bunch of crap MoveOn which I have been in from day one is a mass organization of individuals from all over and all different with some interests in common like freedom from corporate rule. Recently I think McCain has been drinking the kool-aide just doesn't seem consistent anymore-why isn't he opening hearings on the connection between Bush Policies and Bush Donors-that goes right to the heart of why we need to have campaign finance. IE McGraw Hill gave him money, no child behind uses their test materials, Haliburton needs no explanation, even the duct tape warning was a bone to his supporter the largest duct tape maker and I cant remember the name (I buy the off-brands), his energy task force decided to make hydrogen out of coal and oil instead of garbage and soy, he is shutting down the Endangered species protection and roadless areas for the forest and ore explorers, science is shut down for the lead and pesticide people-come on get real JOHN

[Just Me]

6. So, what. Sue me and take back your BS about frivolous lawsuits.

All lawsuits you don't like are frivolous unless you bring them.

Yeah, yeah,...I know,...you don't like that "the people" actually have some vehicle by which they can voice themselves. SCREW YOU!!!

WE, THE PEOPLE, DESERVE TO HAVE AS MUCH POWER AS DO BOTH THE "ELITE" AND THE "ELECTED" TO SHAPE AND INFLUENCE OUR COUNTRY!!!!

To the degree that you attack the limited channels that we do have,...you are proving yourself an enemy to democracy,...in my humble opinion.

[Jacobin]

7. By the time it gets to court, the money will be spent

He's only pissed because we have Dem ads now. They thought only repukes could raise money and they have found out that they are wrong

[WhiskeyJuvenile]

8. This is what happens when you compromise to achieve goals.

This is why we have a first amendment, and why these types of contribution laws are not just unconstitutional but are also a bad idea: allowing government the authority to determine what is and isn't proper political speech means that you lose all protection against it when your opponents are in office, and are using the laws that you support against you.

The real answer to the problem of the sources of money in politics isn't a problem as far as who the donors are; rather, it is a problem solely with raising the money for progressive ideals to achieve parity with that raised for the authoritarian conservative agenda.

Campaign Finance Reform has done nothing but grant the government the power to determine who can and can not speak, and it can come as no surprise that the Republicans will use this power that we have given them to oppress us.

edit: The Republicans control the media and rig the elections, because we have granted via petition the authority to the government to determine who, where, and what is permissible as political speech. We can not continue down this path, because any majority that we will hold in Congress in the future may be fleeting, and what powers we grant the state at that point may very well be used against us, as they are now, weakening our cause.

[HollywoodLiberal]

10. No way.

Never trust McCain. He's scum. Once you start believing a repuke and his motives, you're doomed. These guys with Haliburton, Haiti, Iraq, (Madrid), Diebold, and now we should trust repuke to "reform" our election laws.

LOL yeah right.

[Chicago Democrat]

13. welcome to DU

:)

[hang a left]

16. You betcha Hollywood and welcome.

I guess McKKKain had to redeem himself after his comment yesterday about accepting a Veep from Kerry.

[JaySherman]

11. Good post

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[schultzee]

12. If the PIGs take this, we will have to donate to Kerry more

[baby_bear]

14. We should all donate to Kerry if we can

Still, we are limited to $200/person for a candidate. We can give more than that to ACT and moveon.org, if we can afford to.

Can we afford not to?

I'm digging through my pockets as we speak. Just found ten bucks!
Off it goes!

s_m

[Career Prole]

15. Fuggim!

If they try to shut them down every one of us at MoveOn, True Majority, etc. can write a letter or two or three, can't we? An avalanche of letters, and deliver a petition a mile long to Congress and we show 'em these aren't 527's at all. It's people...angry people with money and votes.