Campaigns The 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 s; 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) /10/horse_race_politics_an_animation_of_the_201 2_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

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 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

videos/382014/april /colbert- super-pac---trevor-potter In the search bar type in April 14, 2011 Season 7

FEC ruling (part 1) /colbert-super-pac---i-can-haz-super-pac /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

report-videos/398531/september /colbert-super-pac---trevor-potter--- stephen-s-shell-corporation report-videos/398531/september /colbert-super-pac---trevor-potter--- stephen-s-shell-corporation In the search bar type in September 29, 2011 Season 7

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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