It’s Shocking How Little Was Spent on the Midterms

The Wall Street Journal ^ | November 7, 2014 | John R. Lott, Jr.

[rogerantone1]

The “most expensive election in history.” Our democracy is being “bought and sold.” This election, “debased by money, shames us all.” These are some of the recent expressions of outrage about what the Center for Responsive Politicsestimates to have been $3.67 billion spent for federal offices during the 2014 midterms.

Two days before the election on “Face the Nation,” CBS’s Bob Schieffer asked viewers to name one item whose costs have gone up as much over time as campaigns. That’s easy. While campaign spending soared to $3.67 billion this year from $1.6 billion in 1998, federal government spending rose 5% faster, to $3.9 trillion from $1.65 trillion.

[ansel12]

That is a pay link.

[mountn man]

Them evil Koch brothers.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Perfect example of what is wrong with a strong national government and what’s right with states rights.

A state rep can personally canvas their areas and meet their constituents. We should expect nothing less. State candidates are naturally term limited.

[bigbob]

I know that Trumka spent millions of union dollars trying the beat Gov. Walker for the 3rd time, and has nothing to show for it.

[Paradox]

Try this one.

[Paradox]

Interesting, that doesnt work as a direct like.. but through a google search, I was able to open the full article....

[ansel12]

The same.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

I’m glad Trumka got it up his poop chute.

[SunkenCiv]

CBS’s [Partisan Media Shill] Bob Schieffer asked viewers to name one item whose costs have gone up as much over time as campaigns. That’s easy. While campaign spending soared to $3.67 billion this year from $1.6 billion in 1998, federal government spending rose 5% faster, to $3.9 trillion from $1.65 trillion.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Money isn’t “speech,” - you can flap your gums all you want without spending money - but you cannot get a printer, ink, and paper for free.

And if you do not assume that journalism is objective - if you recognize that journalism has its own interests, distinguishable from the public interest - you will realize that freedom of the press is the freedom to promote your own opinion vigorously, and as expensively as your purse will allow. Money acquired by selling newspapers is no cleaner than money acquired by conducting any other business. There is no bright line between advocacy and journalism. Both have, and deserve, constitutional protection. If anything frank advocacy deserves more respect than self-proclaimed “objectivity” in journalism.

The Federal Election Commission should be abolished by SCOTUS - and it would be, IMHO, is anyone would bring a case to the Court. McConnell v. FEC was wrongly decided, and with the court as currently constituted it would be overturned.

Present law treats journalism as a priestly establishment, and the FEC should be abolished and the FCC severely constrained (its authority to enforce “fairness” eliminated).