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Jeb Bush is destroying our laughable campaign finance laws
The Week ^ | May 13, 2015 | Taegan Goddard

Posted on 05/14/2015 3:10:52 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

We've seen a flurry of presidential campaign announcements over the last several weeks: Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Ben Carson, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee. Oh my.

But there's still at least one big notable absence. Jeb Bush, the first candidate to actually declare he was exploring a presidential bid, seems in no hurry to formally launch one. Instead, Bush has put in motion a plan that's effectively wrecking what's left of our flimsy campaign finance laws.

Bush is taking the time before his formal announcement to build a super PAC that Politico says "would be unprecedented in its size and scope." The group, called Right to Rise, is expected to raise more than $100 million by the end of this month, and its budget may dwarf that of Bush's eventual official campaign.

Presidential campaigns have strict limits on how much money they can raise from individual donors. A super PAC, on the other hand, can raise nearly unlimited amounts of money from deep-pocketed donors. The catch is that a super PAC is not allowed to coordinate its actions with any political campaign. However, as long as Bush is not an official candidate, that catch may not apply. The thinking goes like this: He can help build a massive war chest for his super PAC, coordinate very closely with Right to Rise and lay out any strategy he wants, and then cut off contact and watch from afar as the super PAC acts on his behalf once he's officially in the race. It's deceptively simple, kind of brilliant, and "potentially illegal."

Bush's audacious plan goes farther than any previous use of a super PAC. He intends to outsource many traditional campaign functions, such as voter mobilization and polling, to this super PAC. Indeed, it's not hard to see where the real power in Bush World lies: National Journal reports that longtime Bush loyalist Mike Murphy — who many thought would be his campaign manager — will forgo a top position with the official campaign to run Bush's super PAC instead.

Meanwhile, The Washington Post discovered Bush is also using a separate group called Right to Rise Policy Solutions to hire advisers to develop his campaign platform and policy positions. As a non-profit advocacy group, it can accept secret, unlimited donations from individuals and corporations. No one ever needs to know who is funding the development of Bush's policies.

These outside groups function as a shadow campaign to support the real campaign. And they sit almost entirely outside existing campaign rules.

The idea that Bush is not currently running for president is semantic to a fault — and totally ridiculous. He's crisscrossing the country appearing at fundraisers and candidate forums while talking about his vision for the country. He's as much a candidate as Hillary Clinton, Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz, or any of those who have formally announced. But he's not held to the same rules because he hasn't said the magic words "I'm running."

In fact, Bush may wait many more months to announce his bid. Why should he rush?

It's unclear whether Bush's strategy is actually legal. But most experts agree that a politically polarized Federal Election Commission has neither the power nor the will to rein Bush in. And he's setting a worrying precedent. Campaign finance expert Rick Hasen says that even if Bush "does not get the nomination, he is blazing a very dangerous trail for others."

If you think billionaires already have too much power over our politics, you haven't seen anything yet.


TOPICS: Florida; Campaign News; Parties; State and Local
KEYWORDS: bush; fundraising; superpacs; tedcruz
Does Taegan want a gold star for figuring this out? And what good is $100 million dollars when you're about as popular as week-old whale meat?
1 posted on 05/14/2015 3:10:53 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

the low info voter can be swayed by relentless TV ads. Thankfully he is falling quite behind, and his Iraq statements have hurt him.
Now if seven or eight others would go away, we would be onto something.


2 posted on 05/14/2015 3:15:36 AM PDT by dp0622
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Just think what an actual conservative could do with this money.

What a waste.


3 posted on 05/14/2015 3:23:29 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Big deal. I won’t be voting for Bush if he is the R candidate - so what if Hillary wins, the uniparty prevails either way...


4 posted on 05/14/2015 3:23:45 AM PDT by broken_arrow1 (I regret that I have but one life to give for my country - Nathan Hale "Patriot")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Politics 101


5 posted on 05/14/2015 3:34:28 AM PDT by bigbob (The best way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly. Abraham Lincoln)
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To: bigbob

Doesn’t Bush’s actions border on fraud?


6 posted on 05/14/2015 4:26:27 AM PDT by DaveA37
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

That’s the thing....people already know Jeb - or at least they already know the Bush family. This zillion dollar campaign thing for Jeb and Hillary is so over rated.

These big war chests don’t really help estab big name candidates....it just enriches their consultants, etc.


7 posted on 05/14/2015 4:27:55 AM PDT by C. Edmund Wright (www.FireKarlRove.com NOW)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Who is The Week?


8 posted on 05/14/2015 4:30:40 AM PDT by csmusaret (Will remove Obama-Biden bumperstickers for $10)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

So he clears the field of early announced candidates with the Super Pac and in true Bush family fashion slowly decapitates the GOP so that he is the only option? Nope, we’ve been down that road before, and I for one will do a write in for my cat before I vote for another Bushie.


9 posted on 05/14/2015 4:33:55 AM PDT by BlackAdderess ("Give me a but a firm spot on which to stand, and I shall move the earth". --Archimedes)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Bookmarked for Jeb’s nomination acceptance speech.


10 posted on 05/14/2015 4:38:05 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: dp0622

[Thankfully he is falling quite behind, and his Iraq statements have hurt him.]

Jeb reminded me of a little brother trying to be President when he weighed in on Iraq. The Presidency is above his pay grade. If he is elected, the office of President would actually be run by the two Georges. Jeb would be the mouthpiece.


11 posted on 05/14/2015 4:55:11 AM PDT by stars & stripes forever ( Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Psalm 33:12)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

We may have to give Jebbie a break here because he has just been plucked from the Bush Presidential Legacy Farm and is just getting his feet under him.


12 posted on 05/14/2015 5:12:58 AM PDT by RetSignman (Obama is the walking, talking middle finger in the face of America)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Jeb Bush, the first candidate to actually declare he was exploring a presidential bid, seems in no hurry to formally launch one.

Just keep Diggin, Jebby.

13 posted on 05/14/2015 5:27:46 AM PDT by GoldenPup
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

don’t give a damn how much money jeb inc. can bring in.I will not vote for him or hillary either, regardless.


14 posted on 05/14/2015 8:35:40 AM PDT by Joe Boucher ( Obammy is a lie, a mooselimb and pond scum.)
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