Upload
jerome-flynn
View
231
Download
3
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The Media and Campaigns Technology has changed the nature of campaigns! “rapid-response” Candidate websites Mass s; text messaging Phone messages Online fundraising Social media
Citation preview
CampaignsThe Message and the Money
The Media and Campaigns Campaigns attempt to gain favorable
media coverage:• Isolation of candidate (Biden, Palin)• Staged media events; sound bites• Spin• Appearance on uncritical talk shows• Candidate debates
The Media and Campaigns Technology has changed the nature of
campaigns!• “rapid-response”• Candidate websites• Mass emails; text messaging• Phone messages• Online fundraising• Social media
The Media and Campaigns Paid Media
• Positive ads• Negative ads• Contrast ads• Spot ads• Inoculation ads
Free Media• Coverage of campaign
events (endorsements, editorials)
• Debates• Horse-race politics
(polls) http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2011/10/horse_race_politics_an_animation_of_the_2012_republican_campaign.html
• Overemphasize trivial parts of campaign?
Campaign Finance Genuine electoral competition that gives voters a
choice and gives winners an incentive to be honest requires that candidates raise and spend $
Privately financed elections raise 2 problems for democracy:
1) Democracy demands political equality – 1 person; 1 vote and money threatens that equality
2) Raises the suspicion that politicians can be “bought”
So… Elections require money, but the pursuit of that money can subvert the purpose of elections
Campaign Finance Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) 1974
• Created Federal Election Commission (FEC)• Provided public financing for presidential primaries and
general elections• Required all candidates to disclose all contributions made to
their campaigns• Limited presidential campaign spending and limited
campaign contributions
Campaign Finance Sources of Political Contributions
• Individual People• Political Action Committees (PACs) contributions• Political Parties’ Contributions• Member-to-Candidate Contributions• Candidates’ Personal Contributions• Public Funds• Independent Expenditures (no coordinating with
campaigns)
PACs According to FECA, interest groups
(PACs) could donate up to $5000 per candidate per election (primary and gen)
Buckley v. Valeo (1976) protected free speech rights of PACs to influence (ind
expenditures) elections; also, candidates can spend as much of own $ as they want
More PACs Today there are more than 4,000 PACs
(corporate, labor unions, ideological, leadership, etc.)
Most PAC contributions go to congressional incumbents
All expenditures and contributors have to be reported to the FEC
www.opensecrets.org
Soft Money v. Hard Money Hard money is legally specified and limited
contributions that are clearly regulated by FECA and FEC
Soft Money – unregulated $ given by individuals and political action committees through state and local parties (independent expenditures)
Used for campaign expenses (rent, salaries), grassroots activities, etc.
Advertisements – express advocacy for a candidate v. issue advocacy
Campaign Finance Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (aka
McCain-Feingold Act)• Banned soft money contributions• Increased individual contributions to $2500 (inflation)• Barred groups from running “issue ads” within 30 days
of a primary or 60 days of a general election: a) if they refer to a federal candidate and b) if they are funded by a corporation or a union.
• PACs can only use corporation or union money for administrative costs
527s Much of the soft money banned by BCRA is
now in “527 political committees” Cannot endorse or attack candidates More Democratic 527s than Republican
• Emily’s List, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, The Media Fund, America Coming Together
www.youtube.com/watch?v=phqOuEhg9yE
• Mostly obsolete after Citizens United case
Citizens United and 2010 Election Since the 1970s, flow of campaign $ has
continued to rise; more than $2 billion in 2008 Presidential campaign
2010 Supreme Court struck down a part of BCRA that banned corporations and labor unions from running political ads 60 days before election
MORE Citizens United and 2010 Election THIS RULING RESULTED IN NO
FEDERAL LIMITS ON ADVERTISING SPENT BY CORPORATIONS AND NO REQUIREMENTS FOR DISCLOSURE
Essentially corporations are people and can’t restrict speech
RESULT of Citizens United Corporations and unions will be able to
spend directly on advertising for and against presidential and congressional candidates
Rise of the SUPERPAC!
Wait—what’s a SUPERPAC? Independent-Expenditure-Only committees Can raise unlimited sums of money then spend
unlimited amounts to overtly advocate for or against candidates
As long as they don’t coordinate with the campaign
Must report donors; can’t give money directly to candidates
www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/382014/april-14-2011/colbert-super-pac---trevor-
potter
In the search bar type in April 14, 2011Season 7
FEC ruling (part 1) http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/391146/june-30
-2011/colbert-super-pac---i-can-haz-super-pac-
In the search bar type in june 30, 2011 Season 7 4:06 and 5;11 videos
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/398531/september-29-2011/colbert-super-pac---trevor-potter---stephen-s-shell-corporation
In the search bar type in September 29, 2011
Season 7
Rock Center clip on Colbert http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/entertain
ment/television/NATL-Colbert-Talks-Super-PACs-on-Rock-Center-137471813.html
McCutcheon v. FEC (2014) Another really important case Removed aggregate (total) limits
individuals can give to campaigns Previously: individuals were limited to
$123,200 to candidates, national party committees and certain political committees – limit of $48,000 to candidates (so about 18 candidates)
McCutcheon v. FEC (2014) Decision struck down aggregate limits:
• Supporters can now donate limited amounts ($2500) to as many candidates as they want!
A. Campaign finance laws need to be reformed to limit the influence of a powerful few individuals or organizations.
B. Campaign finance laws should remain unrestricted b/c people should be free to donate to whomever they want.
Hard money – money that is given to a specific candidate and is regulated (kept track of)
Soft money – money that is given to a political party and is anonymous (outlawed by BCRA)
Independent expenditure – money spent by an organization on an election that is not coordinated with the candidate