SUPER PACs: Occupy the Courts, Colbert & the Fight for Free Speech

SpeechNow.org case page: http://www.ij.org/1219

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Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• paul sherman
• institute for justice
• IJ
• libertarian
• SUPER PAC
• steven colbert
• pacs
• campaign finance
• citizens united
• speechnow.org

[thinkingfield]

The real problem is an ignorant public that is easily persuaded by a TV commercial rather than actually researching the candidates and their policies. This is not a reason to take away anyone's right to speech.

[Derekrife1]

I don't think it's necessary to hand electtoral fundraising to a public entity like the FEC, however I do think that a 100 dollar donation limit placed on individual, and corporate entities could solve the problem, which is my main problem with Citizens United. I don't care that Super Pacs exist, that's fine with me. My main problem is that a single individual or corporation can donate unlimited cash, which will result in a trillion dollar thank you once that candidate wins. It's bribery.

[MortimerTheClueless]

@menetzley - Yes, I want elected officials to control campaign spending. This would give fair access to elections to all, and it would eliminate the disproportionate influence of the billionaires.

No, I do NOT want an "elected" official like George Bush to have such control. Puppets of Big Oil, Wal*Mart, etc. should NEVER be allowed to influence elections. Only if a legislator truly has been elected by the people, not corporations, should he/she control campaign spending.

[menetzley]

@MortimerTheClueless Hmm. Let me get this straight, you want elected officials (including people like George Bush) to have total control over the funding of the campaigns which they will take part in. Let met think about that... nope, can't see a problem there. I'm sure everything will end up fair.

[MortimerTheClueless]

Wealthy people should NEVER be able to influence an election with their billions. The American people are so stupid that they fall for propaganda every time. How else did George Bush get elected? What our democracy needs is to abolish private funding of campaigns and political ads. Fairness in campaigns and elections is so important to our democracy that they must be handled only by the government.

[jcorvid]

@Derekrife1 @Derekrife1 President "build-and-foster-the-Military­-Industrial-Complex-then-warn-­everyone-on-the-way-out-the-do­or" Eisenhower, you mean.

[Derekrife1]

This is the biggest amount of BS I've seen. People aren't mad because corporations are donating millions of dollars in cash. They're mad because million dollar donations have a really bad habit of becoming trillion dollar favors once their candidates win. The Super Pac's are nothing more than a thin veil for the corrupting influence of money in politics.

I swear to god people like you do a great shame to the memory of President Eisenhower and his grave warning of a Military Industrial Complex.

[jasonaorr]

It's dumbfounding to live in a nation that both celebrates free speech and excoriates people who speak effectively. Underlying the criticism of Super PACs is a fundamental distrust of wealth and money.

[evandonghue2]

AS someone that has worked on many campaigns over the years, Im glad to see that people can no longer be jailed for the peaceful act of trying to get someone elected_

[Liberty4Ever]

You had me, right up until the end where you said that voters are the ones who decide who is elected in this country.

got e-voting?