I have an idea that will nueter the scotus decision today

[srican69]

Pass a law that will that will provide public financing in equal measure to that raised through private contributions to anyone in a primary/main election - fund this through a very progressive sur-tax mechanism (mostly rich)

So effectively if Kock assholes decide to spend a billion dollars on election -- the rich will have to pony up more than than in additional taxes the following year.


I am sure it will work very well - but passing it is another matter.

[raging moderate]

1. Hmmm.

Interesting.

[lostincalifornia]

2. As you said it won't pass

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Alas, the people who could do this won't because they're the ones getting the payoffs.

Politicians love to talk campaign finance reform but they still take corporate money and plead for more money from us.

It's all rather laughable.

[randr]

4. What I would like to see

No money can be used for campaign that was raised outside of the district or state the candidate is running for.
Or better. A nationwide commitment by Voters to not vote for AnyOne who accepts or is supported by large money donors outside of the district or state they are running for office in.

[Boom Sound 416]

5. I think they'd spend their money lobbying against that bill

[badtoworse]

6. Keep dreaming

[Bandit]

7. 201 c (4)'s do not have to divulge the identity of their donors

Hell the North Koreans could be financing our campaigns for all we know. No one has to sat where their money is coming from.

[srican69]

9. doesnt matter . if any candidate gets a dime in private contributions .. and the rest just have a

penny .. public finance should make up the difference

[Bandit]

13. Most of the problems are not direct donations to candidates

The problems are ad buys by groups that don't even mention candidates. They are usually issue oriented. I realize this was enhanced by "citizen's united" and not this current ruling, but public financing would not effect these donations at all. It would be virtually impossible to pass a public financing law with the current make up of Congress. The ONLY thing that can address the Extreme Court's rulings is to elect Democrats overwhelmingly to Congress. If Democrats controlled Congress some decent Laws might get passed to protect citizens from being over run by billionaires. Push for "Vote By Mail" and watch how Democratic turn-out improves. Turn-out is the KEY and unless we make it as easy as possible, many people just won't bother.

[srican69]

14. there were no limits on that even before today's decision

I dont think there is a strong legal basis to get that to stop or a work around like I proposed

[Warren DeMontague]

8. I thought that said "neuter the scrotus"

yowch!

[upaloopa]

10. Publicly funded elections with tax dollars

and no private contributions is better. That idea us been around for a long while.

[srican69]

11. I am all for that .. but if money is free speech ( What a fucking joke !!) then

you will have to allow private money .. but we as a country should prevent it from drowning other voices.. Democracy should be a war of ideas .. not of campaign chests

[unblock]

12. those with a stake in a corrupt system will fight to protect it.

unfortunately, this means virtually everyone in a position to actually change it.

your idea sounds great, but the moneyed interests would never go for it so they will spend whatever it takes to defeat it, and the politicians brought up in our current system will happily go along.

[Cal33]

16. From what I can see, our nation is already well on the road to self-destruction. It's

the super-rich and their paid politicians who don't -- and they are the ones who hold
the power to do so, or not. Oh, well.

[Dr. Strange]

15. A question on specifics:

If one billion dollars is raised for the Republican candidate, does that mean every candidate also gets a billion dollars, or just that a billion gets dispersed among the other candidates.

The thought of Ralph Nader getting a billion dollars to run again troubles me a little. (Although I've been dreaming of seeing what Lee Mercer, Jr could do with more funding--NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL.)

[SwankyXomb]

17. Would a better idea be to allow

to allow only registered voters to donate?