In February 2007, Barack Obama petitioned the Federal Elections Commission for a bi-partisan compromise that would ensure that both candidates would accept public financing for the 2008 Presidential Election. Obama “argued in his filing with the commission that the public financing system had insulated candidates from a corrupting dependence on big donors.”
Then the primary happened, and Obama learned that he could raise $100 million dollars in a month. NBC News predicts that Obama could handily raise $300 million dollars to spend on the general election. That’s almost four times the amount of money that would be available to him if he kept his promise to accept only public monies.
But when you can raise hundreds of millions of dollars and crush your opponent under the weight of your money bags, who needs a paltry $84 million in public financing?
Apparently, a promise is only a promise until a better offer comes along. And even some of Obama’s strongest supporters are upset by his decision to pass on public financing.
McCain-Feingold co-sponsor Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) said that Obama had not made a good decision. Feingold argues that while the system does need to be updated, the system for the general election is not broken, as Obama claims.
But for my part, Obama’s flip-flop is not the most upsetting part of his decision to pass on public financing.
I’m not a rich person. I’ll never drive a Mercedes or fly on a private jet. I struggle with increasing food and fuel prices, and like a lot of people I live month to month. So, when I hear that a candidate who talks about change and supporting the little guy is preparing to spend THREE HUNDRED MILLION dollars on an election, it makes me sick to my stomach.
Not only does it sound like Obama is trying to buy the election, it sounds like he has lost perspective.
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So, when I hear that a candidate who talks about change and supporting the little guy is preparing to spend THREE HUNDRED MILLION dollars on an election, it makes me sick to my stomach.
Fair enough; but I want to know if you think McCain would do the same if he felt that he could raise that amount?
Yes. I would be equally ticked off. I was already angered by the amount of money being spent on the Dem primary, it just seems wrong to be spending hundreds of millions of dollars on an election when just four years ago, or eight years ago, the election cost much less.
Kate, I await your diatribe concerning those so rich that they buy solid gold, diamond encrusted toilet seats.
It isn’t your money they’re spending. And it isn’t the makers of luxury butt rests that are receiving that money.
Wolf and butt rests..naw, I won’t go there.
Its amazing how far OHB will go to sign up new voters. New voters in small barred rooms with no butt rests
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-blackvote23-2008jun23,0,7490838.story?page=2
Wulfgar - you make a comparison between Obama’s spending on a presidential election and very wealthy buying gold and diamond toilet seats. Are you saying the Presidency is a commodity that can be bought?
I’m not questioning it, just clarifying. I’m pretty sure I agree with you. Doesn’t mean I like it one bit though. And I’d say that’s probably where Kate is too.
The only reason McCain is doing public financing is that he couldn’t privately raise as much. The RNC on the other hand isn’t having any problems taking $57,000 from every dead-ender couple that wants to eat dinner and have their picture taken with President Bush, but I’m not seeing any complaints about that here.
Lamnidae, the logic of your post is a bit…off.
You claim that McCain could not raise $84 million dollars, but he ended his primary campaign with almost $32 million in the bank. And then he raised $21 million in May alone, more than Obama.
You claim we need public financing cause we’re dirt poor as a party and then argue that the RNC is raking it in from wealthy donors.
So, which is it? Are we cash strapped or swimming in dough?
And I think another point worth making, is that the RNC is funding thousands of state and national races, Obama is just funding one.
Actually, buying one.
As for the argument that it isn’t my money and I shouldn’t care, you’re half right. It isn’t my money, but I still care because when one campaign is spending double what was spent in the entire 2004 general, it makes me wonder how fair the will be. It makes me wonder what you spend $300 million on.
Consistency has never been Lamnidae’s strong suit.
