Money & CampaigningChapter 9

Money & Campaigning Walking Review

• WALK around the room and talk to your peers

• “Use” your peers to help you answer the questions on the sheet.

• You may only receive one answer per peer

Money & CampaigningIncrease in

Fund-raising for

Presidential Nomination Campaigns

Money & Campaigning

The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms• Federal Election Campaign Act of 1974

Created Federal Election Commission; Provided public financing for presidential

primaries and general elections; Limited presidential campaign spending; Required disclosure of funds; and limited contributions.

Around $2,300 per person

The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms (cont.)• Soft Money

Contributions for party building expenses or generic party advertising not subject to contribution limits.

• McCain-Feingold Act (2002) bans soft money, increased amount of individual contributions, and limited issue ads.

LO 9.3

Money & Campaigning

The Maze of Campaign Finance Reforms (cont.)• 527 Groups

Independent groups seek to influence the political process but are not subject to contribution limits because they do not directly seek election of particular candidates.

• 501(c) AKA Super PACS Allows for unlimited political donations

Money & Campaigning

Citizens United v. F.E.C.• Supreme Court said that limiting

corporations/unions on campaign spending was a violation of their first amendment right

Money & Campaigning

LO 9.3

To Learning ObjectivesCopyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman

Money & Campaigning Are Campaigns Too Expensive?

• Center for Responsive Politics estimated in 2008 that the contests for the presidency and Congress cost over $5 billion.

• More congressional incumbents spend, the worse they do. Connected to the fact that the more they spend

the tougher their opponent is• Doctrine of sufficiency

Spend enough money to get a message across to compete effectively.