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Money in Politics

HillzHoozier

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Mar 16, 2005
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I was thinking about all of the out-of-state cash flowing into TX and NC and AZ (to name a few). I'm curious what the current feelings are about the insane amounts of money spent on recent elections. I'm a free market guy, so if you have it, spend it where ya want. Just seems awfully wasteful (unless of course, it works this time).

Any thoughts?
 
I was thinking about all of the out-of-state cash flowing into TX and NC and AZ (to name a few). I'm curious what the current feelings are about the insane amounts of money spent on recent elections. I'm a free market guy, so if you have it, spend it where ya want. Just seems awfully wasteful (unless of course, it works this time).
Who freaking knows. On the one hand, if it was all about the money then Jeb! would have been the candidate, and Hillary would have won. On the other hand, without it no one would know who Christina Hale is and Spartz would be a shoo-in just by the R behind her name.

It's a clusterfsck.
 
I was thinking about all of the out-of-state cash flowing into TX and NC and AZ (to name a few). I'm curious what the current feelings are about the insane amounts of money spent on recent elections. I'm a free market guy, so if you have it, spend it where ya want. Just seems awfully wasteful (unless of course, it works this time).

Any thoughts?

Political fundraising and advertising/marketing should be banned. Imagine if we spent that money on medical research or something worthwhile instead of one of these two geysers spewing their bullshit?
 
Political fundraising and advertising/marketing should be banned. Imagine if we spent that money on medical research or something worthwhile instead of one of these two geysers spewing their bullshit?
I agree. It would be better if political spending was limited to individuals and their affilliiated party. Not a fan of "so and so is not responsible for the content of this advertisement".
 
Money is speech. And corporations are people.

-- Supreme Court

Dickens was correct.

If the law supposes that," said Mr. Bumble, squeezing his hat emphatically in both hands, "the law is a ass — a idiot.
 
I was thinking about all of the out-of-state cash flowing into TX and NC and AZ (to name a few). I'm curious what the current feelings are about the insane amounts of money spent on recent elections. I'm a free market guy, so if you have it, spend it where ya want. Just seems awfully wasteful (unless of course, it works this time).

Any thoughts?


It's an entire industry. I know a person who does nothing but this stuff, has for twenty years. Never stops hopping around the country working different campaigns for the RNC.
 
I agree. It would be better if political spending was limited to individuals and their affilliiated party. Not a fan of "so and so is not responsible for the content of this advertisement".

McCain/Feingold attempted to end this type of independent electioneering, but it was stuck down on 1st Amendment grounds by the SCOTUS in the Citizens United case.
 
The Libertarian Baron in the Kentucky Senate race has found enough money to run polished television adds and daily mailings. The largest Libertarian vote total is 3,5% in any state wide race.
 
McCain/Feingold attempted to end this type of independent electioneering, but it was stuck down on 1st Amendment grounds by the SCOTUS in the Citizens United case.
Is 'Citizens United' responsible for the flooding of out-of-state money to candidates like Beto in TX and Harrison in SC? I'm sure the Pubs do it too. Seems dishonest, and dilutes the power of a voter to choose proper representation.
 
Is 'Citizens United' responsible for the flooding of out-of-state money to candidates like Beto in TX and Harrison in SC? I'm sure the Pubs do it too. Seems dishonest, and dilutes the power of a voter to choose proper representation.

No, that's typically individual online donors. Online donation has charged politics a lot, as well. Millions of people throwing $20-50 at something they support on the other side of the country, with a quick response to an email drive.
 
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No, that's typically individual online donors. Online donation has charged politics a lot, as well. Millions of people throwing $20-50 at something they support on the other side of the country, with a quick response to an email drive.

Much of those online donations are to super pacs. The law is supposed to prohibit coordination between pacs and candidate committees. Yet I know they share mailing lists. That should be a violation.

If you think spending and money is bad now, just wait to we have a national popular vote for POTUS and advertising floods large metropolitan areas on the East and West coasts.

Money wouldn't be so bad if we didn't make it so worthwhile. We have improved the ROI on election spending by increasing the role of government in our society. The rent seekers, special interests, influence peddlers, and foreign entities have a lot to gain by influencing our elections and government. Government is too damn big and does too much.

Even with all the money, the emerging problem that concerns me more is information manipulation and information suppression that has blossomed in the last several years. Our democracy depends on informed voters. We no longer have good complete information and that is a deliberate choice.
 
It isn't the amount of money spent which upsets me. What aggravates me are the negative ads and how the truth is stretched.

These ads contribute to our divisiveness and distrust in both government and politics in general.

Even the winners are smeared and end up as losers to some degree.

The same bitterness and resentment found in mainstream politics and in the halls of congress is also found on the streets of many large cities. People boarding up their businesses and preparing for post election riots and mayhem is a first in my lifetime and maybe a first for the USA. What seeds have we sown?
 
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No, that's typically individual online donors. Online donation has charged politics a lot, as well. Millions of people throwing $20-50 at something they support on the other side of the country, with a quick response to an email drive.

I've heard so many older politicians talk about this in complete amazement.

Something to the effect that they used to have to spend a full day, sometimes fly to an old school fundraising event to work up $200,000 when today one email, tweet can get you hundreds of thousands of dollars from small donations due to the volume of people you can reach online.
 
The same bitterness and resentment found in mainstream politics and in the halls of congress is also found on the streets of many large cities. People boarding up their businesses and preparing for post election riots and mayhem is a first in my lifetime and maybe a first for the USA. What seeds have we sown?

Fortunately the ones they’re boarding up for should be happy after the election. Just look at the polls.

Of course they don’t need much to riot and loot. They may riot and loot to celebrate. They might just take an advance on all that “free stuff” coming their way.
 
The same bitterness and resentment found in mainstream politics and in the halls of congress is also found on the streets of many large cities. People boarding up their businesses and preparing for post election riots and mayhem is a first in my lifetime and maybe a first for the USA. What seeds have we sown?

Well when we elect an internet troll/wannabe mafia tough guy whose rise in politics came from a place of division, conspiracy theory and propaganda...you get a country at each other's throat which is to his benefit politically.

I mean you can't continually, every day for four years call me a disgrace, a radical, a do nothing, a talentless, nasty, monster who should be in jail and who want to ruin the country.

Honestly the name calling and the trolling just make me not want to work with you and root for your political demise. He's an asshole, everyone knows he's an asshole but he's your asshole....I get it and it's annoying but not the deal breaker.

The real danger are the endless conspiracy theories that are massive threats to national security. They undermine our most sacred institutions (our doj, our intelligence agencies, our press, our political relationships and our elections) and are a huge reason why businesses are boarding up their windows right now.

Just wait til he is the first president to refuse the peaceful transfer of power, another sacred American patriotic institution that is unique to the world.

The country will be in further tatters.

Or wait until he loses the election, fights it, sends it to the new conservative Supreme Court who declare him the winner....then watch Biden as the old school politician do the honorable thing like Gore did and except the decision.

The streets will be on fire in that scenario.

So, yeah. I'm troubled by it too.
 
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The same bitterness and resentment found in mainstream politics and in the halls of congress is also found on the streets of many large cities. People boarding up their businesses and preparing for post election riots and mayhem is a first in my lifetime and maybe a first for the USA. What seeds have we sown?

Again with the conspiracy theories that undermine our institutions from this week.

Trump is claiming doctors are making money off covid deaths so they are mislabeling them.


I guarantee you there are posters on this board who will run with that, not understanding that you are picking the side of an internet troll over a sacred institution.

That's our president.

Obama made this point better.

 
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This is a pretty good illustration of how conservatives buy courts.

 
I was thinking about all of the out-of-state cash flowing into TX and NC and AZ (to name a few). I'm curious what the current feelings are about the insane amounts of money spent on recent elections. I'm a free market guy, so if you have it, spend it where ya want. Just seems awfully wasteful (unless of course, it works this time).

Any thoughts?
Have you ever complained when an insane amount of money was spent for the Republicans? Nothing political; a curious mind just wants to know.
 
Have you ever complained when an insane amount of money was spent for the Republicans? Nothing political; a curious mind just wants to know.
All I know is that I can't wait for this election to be over. I'm tired of the constant barrage of emails from Pubs, including T.rump, across the country begging me for money for their campaigns...especially when they cry about how much money the Libs have.
 
The same bitterness and resentment found in mainstream politics and in the halls of congress is also found on the streets of many large cities. People boarding up their businesses and preparing for post election riots and mayhem is a first in my lifetime and maybe a first for the USA. What seeds have we sown?

CoH, "many large cities" is hopefully an exaggeration.

From where I sit, the great majority of localities both large and small will not face "riots and mayhem". For this we can be thankful.

Unfortunately, the political divisiveness to which I referred does affect many communities of all sizes.

Furthermore the election, no matter who wins, will not end this divisiveness.

The best we can hope for is that it will not get worse, and actually we might start a healing process. A process which will take time, if we do in fact turn the corner.
 
CoH, "many large cities" is hopefully an exaggeration.

From where I sit, the great majority of localities both large and small will not face "riots and mayhem". For this we can be thankful.

Unfortunately, the political divisiveness to which I referred does affect many communities of all sizes.

Furthermore the election, no matter who wins, will not end this divisiveness.

The best we can hope for is that it will not get worse, and actually we might start a healing process. A process which will take time, if we do in fact turn the corner.

In the spirit of unity, I just want everyone to know that, although I can be somewhat of an asshole, I apologize to anyone I offended or who feels like I went over a line, especially the following giant dbags: hillz, stoll, mcm66, hoopsdoc, COH, 76-1, and MTIOTF, and Courtsense 1/2 the time.
You are all welcome. 😃
 
In the spirit of unity, I just want everyone to know that, although I can be somewhat of an asshole, I apologize to anyone I offended or who feels like I went over a line, especially the following giant dbags: hillz, stoll, mcm66, hoopsdoc, COH, 76-1, and MTIOTF, and Courtsense 1/2 the time.
You are all welcome. 😃
Lmao. Ditto. Have a good Halloween bulk. All of you people as well!
 
In the spirit of unity, I just want everyone to know that, although I can be somewhat of an asshole, I apologize to anyone I offended or who feels like I went over a line, especially the following giant dbags: hillz, stoll, mcm66, hoopsdoc, COH, 76-1, and MTIOTF, and Courtsense 1/2 the time.
You are all welcome. 😃
As proud leader of this dbag parade, I offer a laurel and hearty fistbump to my fellows. Preshate the sense of humor you bring, Bulk. The rest of you people need to get your acts together 😎

Peace
 
Yeah. All the money they wasted on Jeb!
You seem to be hard of hearing, eh reading. I will ask you again.
"Have you ever complained when an insane amount of money was spent for the Republicans? "

Besides, you asked about Jeb. So, what has Jeb Bush done?
Or, were you asking all the money they wasted on Don Junior? Ivanka?
While at it, you could ask/answer all the money they made during Trump's presidency.
 
You seem to be hard of hearing, eh reading. I will ask you again.
"Have you ever complained when an insane amount of money was spent for the Republicans? "

Besides, you asked about Jeb. So, what has Jeb Bush done?
Or, were you asking all the money they wasted on Don Junior? Ivanka?
While at it, you could ask/answer all the money they made during Trump's presidency.
Lay off the sizzurp.
 
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