Campaign Finance Reform

1. Campaign Finance Reform

2. Historical Background Began all the way back with Andrew Jackson continued to today Naval Appropriations Bill-first federal law dealing with campaign reform Gov. officials could not solicit $ from navy yard workers Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883 Extended NAB to all civil service employees Progressives in 1900s advocated for restricting corporate lobbying and campaign contributions

3. Historical Background Tillman Act of 1907 (Ben Tillman) Prohibited corporations and banks from making direct financial contributions to federal candidates Federal Corrupt Practices Act of 1925 Enacted general contribution limits Amendment to Hatch Act of 1939 Capped individual contributions to $5000 Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 Required disclosure of campaign finance Established a system of regulating and enforcing Agency created: Federal Election Commission (FEC)

4. Current State Buckley v. Valeo 1976 Ruled that parts of the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974 were unconstitutional Specifically limits on expenditures and method of FEC appointing McCain-Feingold Bill 2002 Eliminated all soft money donations and increased hard money donation limits Banned use of corporate money for “electioneering communications” Randall v. Sorrell 2006 Struck down Vermont’s mandatory limits on spending as unconstitutional 1st time court had struck down contribution limits

5. Current State Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court ruled McCain-Feingold Act violated corporation and unions 1st Amendment rights Corporations/unions no longer barred from promoting the election of one candidate over another Candidates are still debating over the best ways to tackle this problem Voting with dollars $50 Patriot dollars Private anonymous donations with increased limits Matching funds Government would match donations under a certain value Clean elections Gives each candidate a set amount of $$

6. Opposing Viewpoints-For Reform • Will be more difficult for wealthier and connected candidates to win solely because of their finances • Minor party candidates are currently being silenced by well-funded campaign operations • Increased significance of individual contributions will increase voter participation • Reduce corruption in government by stopping candidates from “selling themselves”

7. Opposing Viewpoints-Against Reform • Loopholes will always exist for candidates • Limits freedom of speech for candidates and for unions and corporations by limiting the amount of money a candidate can spend and what they spend it on • The temptation to bow to the wishes of special interests will always remain

9. Obama/DemocraticPosition Rein in influence of lobbyists in Washington Lobbyists and special interests have had sway for too long Obama opted out of public financing In 2008 election, after pledging to in coalition with McCain Instead he chose to use private financing (campaign finance) Comcast employees, board members, and wives donated $235,650 to Obama Victory Fund Contributions came after federal government approved Comcast’s deal to acquire NBC

10. Republican Position Republicans have typically opposed limits and public funding Government playing too big of a role Candidates differ on their positions Republican John McCain was one of the cofounders of the McCain-Feingold Bill He is for campaign finance reform

11. Mitt Romney ( R ) Republican candidate Romney believes in less reform He was accused of violated FEC regulations Gets around FEC regulations by creating a PAC (political action committee) called Restore our Future Funnels funds for his presidential campaign through there Can attend events as long as he does not “solicit funds”

12. Gary Johnson ( R ) Republican candidate Soft money should not turn into hard money Public should know where every penny comes from No limits on contributions

13. Buddy Roemer ( R ) Cap on contributions Cap donations at $100 Need finance reform bill Remove large influence from special interest groups and corporations Very dedicated to reforming campaign financing He himself refuses to accept PAC money and limits individual campaign donations to $100

14. Rick Perry • Campaign financing came up in the debate • Merck donated $5000 to Perry’s campaign • Gardasil (HPV vaccine) mandates in Texas made Merck millions • “Exactly how much does it take to boy you, Governor Perry? • Michele Bachman

15. Picture Citations • http://www.factmonster.com/images/party_republican.jpg • http://themoderatevoice.com/wordpress-engine/files//2011/08/Romney2012.jpg • http://themorningflight.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mitt-romney.jpg • http://images.politico.com/global/romney%20pac%20icon.bmp • http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/first-family/masthead_image/7aj_header_sm.jpg?1250870848 • http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q-O7OT0FssE/TWurkc6E2WI/AAAAAAAABXo/LgErMwv8EGY/s1600/CampaignFinancePhoto.jpg • http://www.teaparty911.com/images1/campaign_finance_follow_the_money.jpg • http://www.propublica.org/images/articles/pp_campaign_finance_080917.jpg • http://fritchshow.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/600px-US-FederalElectionCommission.svg-US-Government-Public-Domain-Wikimedia-Commons.png • http://www.thegrio.com/assets_c/2011/03/herman-cain-2012-thumb-400xauto-17311.jpg • http://web-images.chacha.com/citizens-united-v-fec/citizens-united-v-fec-feb-17-2011-200.jpg • http://www.makemyfamilytree.com/images/articles/obama_family_2006_xmas_card.jpg • http://www.historyguy.com/democrat_symbol_donkey.jpg • http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/michele-bachmann-newsweek-cover-crop.jpg • http://images.politico.com/global/news/110728_gary_johnson_ap_328.jpg • http://hpronline.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/800px-BuddyRoemerJune20081.jpg • http://gamutnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/rick_perry_yo1.jpg • http://www.algemeiner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/campaign-finance-e1314656808995-300x251.jpg • http://politicalbetting.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/mccain-feingold.JPG

16. Citations • Cantor, Joseph E. “Campaign Finance.” Almanac of Policy Issues. N.p., 23 Oct. 2002. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.policyalmanac.org/‌government/‌archive/‌crs_campaign_finance.shtml>. • Fernandez, Bob. “Comcast people among Obama Victory Fund top donors.” Philly.com. Philadelphia Inquirer, 4 Sept. 2011. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://articles.philly.com/‌2011-09- 04/‌news/‌30112846_1_comcast-sena-fitzmaurice-contributions>. • Gordon, Jesse, ed. “Campaign Finance.” OnTheIssues. N.p., 4 Sept. 2011. Web. 4 Sept. 2011. <http://www.ontheissues.org/‌News_Campaign_Finance.htm>. • Hunt, Albert R. “A New Way Around Election Laws.” NY Times. NY Times, 21 Aug. 2011. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/‌2011/‌08/‌22/‌us/‌22iht-letter22.html>. • Minch, Kevin J. “Campaign Finance Reform: Debate Topics.” Debatabase. International Debate Education Association, 1 Jan. 2011. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.idebate.org/‌debatabase/‌topic_details.php?topicID=234>. • Obama, Barack. “What We Stand For: Open Government.” Democrats. Democratic National Committee, 2011. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.democrats.org/‌issues/‌open_government>. • Roemer, Buddy. “Fighting Special Interests.” Roemer 2012. Buddy Roemer for President, 2011. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.buddyroemer.com/‌issues/‌specialinterests/>. • “Romney Holds His Own, Perry Bloodied.” American Needs Mitt. CNN, 12 Sept. 2011. Web. 15 Sept. 2011. <http://americaneedsmitt.com/‌blog/‌2011/‌09/‌12/‌romney-holds-own-perry-bloodied-debate/>. • Yost, Mark Anthony, Jr. “The History of Campaign Finance Reform.” 1 Dec. 1999. The Junto Society. Web. 14 Sept. 2011. <http://www.juntosociety.com/‌government/‌campaignfinance.htm>.