Posted on 10/12/2007 7:26:35 AM PDT by andy58-in-nh
The Presidential election process is spinning further out of control with each passing election cycle. The present “2008” electoral process, as we all know too well, actually commenced last year (in 2006) as candidates began to organize and announce their campaigns in order to start raising money and to get a jump on the perceived competition.
A temporary factor clearly driving the unprecedented length of the 2008 campaign is quite simply: hatred of George W. Bush. Democrats and the leftist groups that make up their "base" passionately detest him, the mainstream news media loathe him, and his own Republican Party has moved perceptibly away from him, too.
The other, more lasting factor in the extension of the Presidential cycle is an unintended consequence of "campaign finance reform". The rise of so-called "527" organizations has filled a vacuum once occupied by private groups and individuals whose contributions of time and money are now strictly proscribed. Instead, tax-exempt organizations ally themselves and fund other overtly political groups in an effort to attract the attention - and support - of candidates. For example, MoveOn.org's endorsement will be worth millions of dollars to whoever receives it, and woe unto any Democrat who refuses to pay proper tribute; they will surely not be allowed to MoveOn.
On the Republican side, the influence of 527's to this point is more muted. I think this reflects a lack of genuine enthusiasm for any of the announced candidates as well as a general and deep malaise within Republican ranks. Nonetheless, both parties’ Presidential primary systems, which used to occupy a period between January and June of each election year, have now been almost comically front-loaded. The desire to scrunch the primaries into a microscopic blip of time is the result of competition among state parties to augment their influence in attracting not so much the candidates themselves as the money groups and “Netroots” and media now driving the process, which the candidates will surely follow.
From the candidate’s point of view, the ultimate purpose of all this is Early Attention, Early Anointment, and Early Money. The candidate of each party is not chosen as once before, through a grueling six-month process of campaigning for (what were in essence) local and regional elections, gaining support from the rank-and-file, learning the issues, polishing the presentation. Now, we have an premature process of carefully choreographed media events and virtual supplication before moneyed interests in order to win a semi-national January primary election leading to a meaningless party convention in the midst of a 10-month campaign of even more scripted events and national "debates" that have come to resemble rounds of "American Presidential Idol". Are we getting better Presidential candidates now than in the past? I think not.
What is clear to me is that campaign finance reform must be, well, reformed. Individual citizens and the voluntary groups they create are once again allowed to contribute to whomever they want and in whatever amount they desire. Tax-exempt organizations ought not be allowed to serve as money-laundering operations for political interest groups. The Primary election process once again needs to be extended to six months rather than two weeks, so that they and national Conventions are once again meaningful. Otherwise, the 2012 election may well start on January 21st of 2009.
What is clear to me is that campaign finance reform must be, well, reformed. Individual citizens and the voluntary groups they create are once again allowed to contribute to whomever they want and in whatever amount they desire. Tax-exempt organizations ought not be allowed to serve as money-laundering operations for political interest groups. The Primary election process once again needs to be extended to six months rather than two weeks, so that they and national Conventions are once again meaningful. Otherwise, the 2012 election may well start on January 21st of 2009.
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Good job - nice write-up. I think you certainly touched on what I see the real underlying issue to be. There are “forces” in and out of Washington that want to minimize the impact and control of the voting public. Already they are moving to take more and more issues away from voter control (decided by vote). I see the same anti-democratic strategy being applied to the elections process as well. This, while watching our Congress decay and drift into deeper corruption, leaving behind a shrinking group of elitists, corrupt officials, and flat-out thugs to run our government. As you point out, look at what we have for candidates. Where is an Eisenhower or a Reagan? Where are real patriots? Where are candidates that really care about America, and more important, where are the groups of people and organizations that want to support, and will support, such candidates?
Campaign finance reform, as it is falsely called, is a sham upon the entire process and a slam to the First Amendment. Yet it is supported by the very people we trusted to run this country in the image of its founders and our founding documents. It needs to be radically FIXED. I agree. The list of candidates we are facing, in general, is pathetic. I don’t even need to mention the left....what they want to stick in the Oval Office is horrifying.
Good post. Thanks for sharing it.
As much as we would like to be that way, MoveOn.org CANNOT endorse a given candidate. Otherwise, they'll lose tax-exempt status and shut down, and George Soros won't allow that.
Galling isn't it, not to know WTH's the enemy anymore.
...say, "Hi" to archy. ;^)
He sure did & nearly single handedly.
That the guy actually thought he'd be freely elected POTUS, in view of his *contribution* toward damaging our republic beyond repair concerns me even moreso.
The guy literally defines the word, "disconnect".
"We'd all be better off if he had decided to go into the Food Service business."
HA!!
Shilling French Fries, huh.
...that or a beer distributorship. ;^)
Place the blame where it belongs for CFR andy, half of which lies squarely in the lap of one of our own who would be POTUS.
***Um, originally the 3 sponsors were McCain, Feingold and Thompson. That’s 2/3 of which are our own guys running for pres. At least Fred withdrew his sponsorship, but he still voted for it.
He did, huh.
Only heard McCain's name with Feingold's {I live in WI} whenever the abomination's been mentioned.
In any event if what you've said is true?
Ol' Fred's a good as (politically) dead.
At least in this home he'll be.
...take that to the bank. ;^)
SPiff pointed out Fred’s less than 100% pro-life record with CFR being part of the equation:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1909436/posts?page=51#51
I see.
Another example of how the numbers don't lie, while supporters will.
...thanks for the link, Kev.
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