Activism Change

Campaign finance reform? McConnell says forget it

Question:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -(RHA) writes: A quick question for all the political ‘heads’ out there. When discussing campaign reform the one subject that keeps coming up over and over again is that what drives these campaigns into such extravagent expenditures is TV advertising. I was watching one of the ‘talking head’ shows this weekend (I forget which one but they’re all pretty much to same) and the wonks on both sides were complaining about this expense and the fact that modern campaigns almost preclude the old fashioned ‘grass roots’ style of campaigning. One Republican wonk stated that "only a fool would believe that he can win by just having a large staff of volunteers and spreading leaflets around! The only way to win these days is to put your money into professional phone banks and lots of TV spots." So I pose this question. If the major contributor to the cost of campaigns is TV advertising (probably followed by hired telephone pests) and TV stations would scream bloody murder at such ’socialist’ ideas as free air time, why not BAN POLITICAL TV ADVERTISING?? Or at least threaten to. I have a feeling that the networks and local affiliates would probably come up with an effective counteroffer for TV time if they thought that this golden fleece might slip away from them. And even if it did wind up getting banned… what would we lose? Are any real issues ever discussed in these ads? None that I’ve seen. If anything TV advertisement has only encouraged more and worse mudslinging. Additionally the TV advertisement has reduced political campaigning to quick ’sound bites’ of little or no substance. Elections should be about substance. So… what does the net think? If TV advertisement was bad for encouraging people to smoke and is therefore bannable, why shouldn’t political ads been thought of the same way? Force the candidates to go back into grass roots style political practices. Comments? Too good an idea to be implemented. There ya go, rockin the damn boat. — rha

Well, thanks. I do my best.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – A quick question for all the political ‘heads’ out there. When discussing campaign reform the one subject that keeps coming up over and over again is that what drives these campaigns into such extravagent expenditures is TV advertising. I was watching one of the ‘talking head’ shows this weekend (I forget which one but they’re all pretty much to same) and the wonks on both sides were complaining about this expense and the fact that modern campaigns almost preclude the old fashioned ‘grass roots’ style of campaigning. One Republican wonk stated that "only a fool would believe that he can win by just having a large staff of volunteers and spreading leaflets around! The only way to win these days is to put your money into professional phone banks and lots of TV spots." So I pose this question. If the major contributor to the cost of campaigns is TV advertising (probably followed by hired telephone pests) and TV stations would scream bloody murder at such ’socialist’ ideas as free air time, why not BAN POLITICAL TV ADVERTISING?? Or at least threaten to. I have a feeling that the networks and local affiliates would probably come up with an effective counteroffer for TV time if they thought that this golden fleece might slip away from them. And even if it did wind up getting banned… what would we lose? Are any real issues ever discussed in these ads? None that I’ve seen. If anything TV advertisement has only encouraged more and worse mudslinging. Additionally the TV advertisement has reduced political campaigning to quick ’sound bites’ of little or no substance. Elections should be about substance. So… what does the net think? If TV advertisement was bad for encouraging people to smoke and is therefore bannable, why shouldn’t political ads been thought of the same way? Force the candidates to go back into grass roots style political practices. Comments?

 Too good an idea to be implemented. There ya go, rockin the damn boat. — rha

Response:

A quick question for all the political ‘heads’ out there. When discussing campaign reform the one subject that keeps coming up over and over again is that what drives these campaigns into such extravagent expenditures is TV advertising. I was watching one of the ‘talking head’ shows this weekend (I forget which one but they’re all pretty much to same) and the wonks on both sides were complaining about this expense and the fact that modern campaigns almost preclude the old fashioned ‘grass roots’ style of campaigning. One Republican wonk stated that "only a fool would believe that he can win by just having a large staff of volunteers and spreading leaflets around! The only way to win these days is to put your money into professional phone banks and lots of TV spots." So I pose this question. If the major contributor to the cost of campaigns is TV advertising (probably followed by hired telephone pests) and TV stations would scream bloody murder at such ’socialist’ ideas as free air time, why not BAN POLITICAL TV ADVERTISING?? Or at least threaten to. I have a feeling that the networks and local affiliates would probably come up with an effective counteroffer for TV time if they thought that this golden fleece might slip away from them. And even if it did wind up getting banned… what would we lose? Are any real issues ever discussed in these ads? None that I’ve seen. If anything TV advertisement has only encouraged more and worse mudslinging. Additionally the TV advertisement has reduced political campaigning to quick ’sound bites’ of little or no substance. Elections should be about substance. So… what does the net think? If TV advertisement was bad for encouraging people to smoke and is therefore bannable, why shouldn’t political ads been thought of the same way? Force the candidates to go back into grass roots style political practices. Comments?

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – From UPI, 11/20/96: Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. McConnell, who won a third six-year term earlier this month, is a longtime opponent of campaign finance reform. Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, quoted McConnell as promising that “We’ll kill it…You watch” at a meeting last week of GOPAC, the conservative political action committee headed by Gingrich until last year. A shift in Senate rules is expected to trigger a reshuffling of committees that could also put McConnell in line to take over the Rules Committee, which would handle campaign finance reform. Further complicating the situation is that McConnell is expected to take over as head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which could strengthen his opposition to altering existing spending rules.

Lay off the junior senator from Kentucky. He’s the best senator I can remember this state electing in my lifetime, at least that I can remember. Maybe in 1998 we’ll be successful in replacing liberal Sen. Wendell Ford with a good conservative Republican senator. I oppose campaign finance reform as proposed for several reasons. First of all, I do not believe in taxpayer-financed political campaigns. Tax dollars should be used to build roads, enforce the law, build prisons, provide national defense, etc., not to finance political campaigns. Spending restrictions or requiring media outlets to offer ads at a discount are a violation of the First Amendment in that they compromise freedom of the press and free commercial speech. Media outlets should have the right to profit from the sale of political advertising, thus generating additional tax revenue for local, state and federal governments. Campaign finance reform can be effectively achieved by enforcing the laws currently on the books. Three cheers for Mitch McConnell, Kentucky’s best senator! H.B. Elkins — Winchester, KY "You must have the courage to believe the truth!" — Rush H. Limbaugh III Kentucky Wildcats Basketball & #3 Dale Earnhardt — A Championship Combination

Response:

From UPI, 11/20/96: Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. McConnell, who won a third six-year term earlier this month, is a longtime opponent of campaign finance reform. Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, quoted McConnell as promising that “We’ll kill it…You watch” at a meeting last week of GOPAC, the conservative political action committee headed by Gingrich until last year. A shift in Senate rules is expected to trigger a reshuffling of committees that could also put McConnell in line to take over the Rules Committee, which would handle campaign finance reform. Further complicating the situation is that McConnell is expected to take over as head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which could strengthen his opposition to altering existing spending rules. Big-business’s goal. Buy the government, then control it or destroy it. Harry

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hope) writes: From UPI, 11/20/96: Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. McConnell, who won a third six-year term earlier this month, is a longtime opponent of campaign finance reform. Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, quoted McConnell as promising that “We’ll kill it…You watch” at a meeting last week of GOPAC, the conservative political action committee headed by Gingrich until last year. A shift in Senate rules is expected to trigger a reshuffling of committees that could also put McConnell in line to take over the Rules Committee, which would handle campaign finance reform. Further complicating the situation is that McConnell is expected to take over as head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which could strengthen his opposition to altering existing spending rules. Big-business’s goal. Buy the government, then control it or destroy it. Harry

I guess you prefer the big union bosses like Mr. Sweeney. a member of the Socialist party to control everything!  They claim that they are not a partisan group but the leaders certainly are.   yasmin2

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hope) writes: From UPI, 11/20/96: Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. McConnell, who won a third six-year term earlier this month, is a longtime opponent of campaign finance reform. Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, quoted McConnell as promising that “We’ll kill it…You watch” at a meeting last week of GOPAC, the conservative political action committee headed by Gingrich until last year. A shift in Senate rules is expected to trigger a reshuffling of committees that could also put McConnell in line to take over the Rules Committee, which would handle campaign finance reform. Further complicating the situation is that McConnell is expected to take over as head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which could strengthen his opposition to altering existing spending rules. Big-business’s goal. Buy the government, then control it or destroy it. Harry I guess you prefer the big union bosses like Mr. Sweeney.

Yes. Harry

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hope) writes: Hope) writes: From UPI, 11/20/96: Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. McConnell, who won a third six-year term earlier this month, is a longtime opponent of campaign finance reform. Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper, quoted McConnell as promising that “We’ll kill it…You watch” at a meeting last week of GOPAC, the conservative political action committee headed by Gingrich until last year. A shift in Senate rules is expected to trigger a reshuffling of committees that could also put McConnell in line to take over the Rules Committee, which would handle campaign finance reform. Further complicating the situation is that McConnell is expected to take over as head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which could strengthen his opposition to altering existing spending rules. Big-business’s goal. Buy the government, then control it or destroy it. Harry I guess you prefer the big union bosses like Mr. Sweeney. Yes. Harry

No.  yasmin2

Response:

Filed under: Political campaigning

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