Holy crap!! How did *THAT GUY* get all the money???

[underpants]

Suddenly everyone is all worried about public financing elections. Hmmm wonder how many articles have been written about "clean elections"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25276009



Obama opt-out is big threat to troubled system
Candidate's rejection raises more doubts about future of public financing

From the moment that the public financing system was created in the wake of the Watergate crisis, it was viewed as an imperfect way to rid politics of the excesses of special-interest money.

But now, with the decision by Senator Barack Obama to become the first presidential candidate to forgo public money, the system is facing the most critical threat to its survival.

At various times in its three-decade life, the public financing system has been declared close to its demise. Yet, every four years, it has continued to survive, with all presidential candidates since the system began in 1976 accepting public money to run their general election campaigns — and the spending limitations that come with it.

'System of last resort'
As structured, each presidential candidate stands to receive $84 million in public money. This money is gained from the $3 check-off on federal taxpayer returns, which the major party candidates can use to run a general presidential campaign from the end of each party’s convention to the November election.

Each political party can also raise and spend money to support its candidate. Donors can give up to $28,500 to party committees, as well as often-unlimited amounts to 527s, nonprofits and a bevy of other committees that exist outside the formal party structure, to influence the election.


But by showing that he could raise large sums from small donors — 47 percent of the $263 million Mr. Obama received has come in amounts of $200 or less — Mr. Obama has made the argument that he has achieved online what the public finance system has been unable to do. And he has been freed from the necessity of spending countless hours fund-raising.

“The reality is that the amount of money that comes from the government is not enough to run a modern presidential campaign,” said Larry Makinson, a consultant to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington group that tracks campaign donations. “The amount Obama has raised from small contributors has been unprecedented. There has never been an infusion of small dollar donors like this.

“And,” Mr. Makinson said, “he got there by snubbing the campaign finance system.”

[rucky]

1. Good! Perfect time to introduce sweeping campaign finance reform legislation.

Let 'em put their money where their mouths are.

[Kokonoe]

2. Republicans are really worried about the number of democratic contributors.

They want Obama as an excuse to even the system, such as maybe eliminating personal contribution limits.
And opting out is part of the system.

We can't have imperfect troubled system that actually starts working. :sarcasm: