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PACs and Super PACs

PACs and Super PACs. What is a PAC?. Political Action Committee Formed to give money to candidates in order to influence their political decisions. Campaign finance reform in 1973: -1. Contribution limits -2. Legal for corporations and unions to form PACs

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PACs and Super PACs

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  1. PACs and Super PACs

  2. What is a PAC? • Political Action Committee • Formed to give money to candidates in order to influence their political decisions. • Campaign finance reform in 1973: -1. Contribution limits -2. Legal for corporations and unions to form PACs • Number of PACs exploded, as did the money they spent on congressional candidates.

  3. Does money buy influence? • Breakdown of PACs • Over ½ corporations • A tenth by unions • Rest by various groups • Ideological PACs are fastest growing • Raise more, spend less (?) • Important facts: -typical contributions are small (few hundred to House members) -PACs spread money across many candidates -very little statistical evidence to support notion that money buys votes

  4. Super PACs • “Independent-expenditure only committee” • May spend unlimited money on political causes, but NOT on individual campaigns • No legal limit on donations • Candidates and Super PAC managers can discuss strategy through the media • Generally funded by wealthy individuals (more than corporations) • Created by two Court decisions (2010): • Citizens United vs. Federal Election Committee • Speechnow.org vs. FEC

  5. How are PACs and Super PACs different? • PACs have limits for contributors, Super PACs do not. • PACs give directly to candidates, Super PACs provide indirect assistance.

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