If anything we have learned of late, it is that the court could take away our rights as it did in the reversal of Roe v. Wade. It is long past time that a bad decision from some years ago permits hiding and negative ad campaigns from nefarious funding sources.
The decision of Citizens, in brief (too brief?), gave PACs the power to fund campaigns outside of a candidate's coffers. This allowed more money to enter the political smear tactic campaign on both sides of the aisle while the greed just further manifests in causes well shielded from scrutiny of the average voter. Seems ok, NOT!
My thoughts on how campaigns should be run is that we set caps for the races and ensure a floor to make all candidates viable. The people should not vote based on ad campaigns but on the merit of the candidate regardless of power. This means some fat cats would have to go on a diet! Our system now is dominated by money. That means a guy like myself has little or no chance. My campaign expenses are at about $250. My opponent, with 90% of his donors and similar stats for the money he has received, come from outside the district. Some large donors who then expect favours or payback for helping out with the campaign.
Who is McKinney going to be beholden to? His contributors and those are mostly outside of the district we seek to serve. My candidacy is 100% funded from inside the district, by me. The State says I do not have to file a lot of paperwork if I can keep the expense under 1,000$. So far so good there for me, I will be a representative of the community, not special interests.
Voters are so mislead and bombarded with advertising that it can be hard to figure out the truth. That is what the dark money wants, not to be accountable. There are so many sources for information, I have completed half a dozen surveys and forms for media and voter information sources that I know of and many of the larger media sources have never asked or offered. How is that a fair assessment where there is no opportunity for divergent voices to be heard.
Citizens United was the case that opened up the market place for special interests to act as a person, in the legal sense, and spend more money from the wealthy sources that have an agenda. The common man has little influence over such resources. In my next campaign for this seat, yes I will be back, I will look to donors that wish to help me educate the voters about alternative methods, candidates and the health of the world in which we all live--not just the rich or well to do.
Consider alternatives, vote Green!
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