Electoral system- Campaign finance Flashcards
(18 cards)
How was Nixon’s campaign financed?
By fat cats- wealthy people donating large sums, because of this congress made a law to change this called the federal election campaign act of 1974
What is the What was congressional the federal election campaign act of 1974?
Limiting contributions that individuals, unions and corporations can give hoping to reduce reliance on wealthy donors so there’s equality
the federal election campaign act of 1976 what were some loop wholes?
Buckley v Valeo
SC ruled that limitations of political action committes could spend infinged first amendment rights and were unconstitutional
1979 congress weakend this via allowing parties to raise money for voter regs and get out the vote drives aswell as party building activtys (soft money)
Court made a split decision- you can limit due to corruption but can’t due to free speech
What is soft money?
Money donated to parties and not candidates to avoid campaign financ limitations
Partoes are allowed to spend money on certain campaign activity
What are matching funds?
Presidential campaignes were funded via matching funds
Fed money administered by the newly formed federal election committe and given to presidential candidates who met certain critera agreeing on certain limits
E.g. in 2000 FEC spend $240 mill
What did obama do in 2008 regarding matching funds?
Opted out leaving him free from fundrasing and spending limitations
How did the bipartisanship campaign reform act 2002 law do to change campaign finance?
national party committees were banned from raising money or spending ‘soft money
- Labour unions and corporations were forbidden from directly funding issue advertisements
- prohibited the use of union and corporate money to broadcast advertisements that mention a federal candidate within 60 days of the GE or 30 days of a primary
- increased individuals limits on contributions to individual candidates or candidate committees to $2300
- contributions from foreign nationals were banned
- the ‘Stand By Your Ad’ provision resulted in all campaign ads including verbal endorsements by the candidate
What is a pac?
A committe that raises limted amouts of money and spends these contributions fpr thr purpose of electing or defeting candudates
Whats a superpac?
A political committe that makes inderpendant expenditure but does noy make contributions to candidate
What did the SC do in 2010 and what did their decision lead to? Citizens united vs FEC 2010
- granted corporate and labour organisations the same rights of political free speech as individuals thereby giving such groups the right of unlimited independent political expenditure
- this led to the setting up of independent expenditure-only committees (IEOCs) which were soon dubbed Super Pacs
Example of hillary clinton super pac?
Raised $132 mill throught priority USA acrion
Critics of super pac?
Inequality of funding
Negative campaign
Excessive influence of major donors
Cost based evidence in 2020?
Total campagign bill of $14 billion
-Most expensive race was in south caronina with 227 mill
-Micheal Bloomburg didnt win a single state yet spenf 1 bill of his own fortune
-Bernie sanders raised 170 mil double bodens
Does money make a difference?
High correlation between big spenders and winners
HC- 2016 highest spending candidate but didnt win
-Money fllows winnwes, as buisness infustreys have good accses to law making however not many groups are very ideological expet NRA
Where does money go?
Organisation
Campaigne
Media
Where does money go- organisation?
Trump paid his staff well
But clinton had 489 feild office
Organisation means govt operation on election at, candidate support going foot to door working the pjones
34 states allow early votig 7 dont
Where does money go- Campaign?
Can be costly spending travel, higher and polls
e.g. Trump polling significant in micigan and wisconson which used to be safe for hillary
Afer trump went he got these seats
Where does money go- media?
Trumps reliance on the media due to bein poorer than hillary
-Did this via tv and cabel ads
-Won all 5 states he spread bad publicity for Hilary e.g Florida north carolina, pensylvania, Ohio and michigan
