While I'd agree that any reform to our campaign finance laws is a good thing, our campaign finance laws need an overhaul. State Rep. Bob Freeman has proposed a minor reform, which might actually be a smart way to make some positive change. It's legislation that would require state legislature candidates to file campaign finance reports earlier during a campaign. Currently, they must file a campaign finance report on the second Friday before an election. Freeman wants them to report on the sixth Tuesday before an election as well. This requirement already exists for statewide candidates. In addition to himself, Freeman's bill has eight sponsors.
Based on comments I've received from actually reporting on the details of these reports, I know that what bothers people most is to see one politician greasing another with campaign funds. We give a politician money to help him get elected, not for him to dole out and help someone else get elected.
In addition to preventing one politician from using donated money to finance other campaigns, it's really time to limit how much any one person can donate in a state and local race.
Currently, individual contributions to federal candidates are limited to $3,300 per election. Why on earth would we allow much higher donations to candidates seeking local office?
Finally, I'd suggest that each municipality that maintains an online presence should be required to post campaign finance reports under their jurisdiction, and within 24 hours of the filing. Given the inability of local papers to track expense reports
7 comments:
No elected official at the local level should accept any donations from people who do business or involved with the local government. Or at least a limit of $50.
I wish you'd called for this before the Lahoud spending spree. I don't care who spends how much. The problem is when dopes like you deify scumbags like Lahoud, which you've done for several years for his tawdry immigrant Democrat voter onboarding enterprise. He had you completely fooled. Not hard to do with blind partisans like you. Barnum had you nailed. If you're a watchdog, were not being watched at all.
Bob Freeman professional politician for 30+ years, proposing legislation on political finance reporting. Let me know when he is going to introduce legislation for the marginalized citizens in Easton.
You might as well call this the Incumbent Protection Act.
The campaign season has already been tilted in favor of incumbents under the guise of no-excuse mail-in balloting. Lengthy early voting periods allow the better-funded incumbents to bank votes before challengers have a chance to get their messages out. So why not add one more thing that a challenger has to do instead of campaigning against the incumbent?
The additional reporting period is particularly onerous for challengers who might not have the same outside or professional help in preparing their campaign reports that most incumbents have.
Also, why wouldn't incumbents want to pass this since it also gives them extra time to know who their best funded (and therefore most dangerous) opponent(s) are.
Limiting the amount of contributions has many pitfalls as well. First, I think the courts have consistently ruled that you can't limit how much someone puts into their own campaigns, so it gives wealthy candidates (who can self-fund) a massive advantage. That's hardly a plus for democracy.
More importantly, it also benefits incumbents who surely have already built a long list of donors they easily can tap for funding.
If you're going to limit the amount of contributions given, why not also level the playing field by not letting incumbents carry balances from one year to another (and of course not pre-pay for campaign services)? I doubt Rep. Freeman would be supporting THAT proposal.
Instead of limiting the fundraising options for challengers or adding another report to the reporting calendar that works to the benefit of incumbents, why not shorten the period in which people are able to vote ahead of election day? This would give challengers more time to make their cases to voters, campaign, and (gasp) debate their incumbent opponents.
I know that if the early voting season were shortened, I'd still be able to get my ballot filed in plenty of time. But it wouldn't give well-funded incumbents with large campaign staffs as much time to reach out and "encourage" voters to choose the incumbent.
Again, I am certain that no incumbent politician would support THAT change.
The finest employees in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."but dosen't add GRACEDALE employees!! The people who take care of HUMAN BEINGS who are sick and elderly!!! Wow Lamont all you do is show your face at Gracedale for pictures and leave to make yourself look like you care!! I hope one day you or your family do not need nursing home care. You are a disgrace !!! Get your priorities right !!
5:41, The hate just oozes from you. You hate Lahoud, me, immigrants and Democrats. You are mentally ill. Get help before you end up in jail.
5:41 AM, you seem very angry. Take your campaign finance concerns up with the legislature, as campaign finance reform starts with them. And, maybe you can try to get the Supreme Court to reconsider the Citizens United case?
Post a Comment