Campaigns

Please before i ask this, pardon my ignorance regarding.

My question is, how can politicians look Americans in the eye, during this economic disaster, people with no jobs, no healthcare, getting kicked out of their homes, etc... when they spend millions on their campaigns.

For example, John McCain has recently spent 20 million dollars trying to get re-elected to the Senate.
McCain pays heavy reelection price - David Catanese - POLITICO.com

20 million. Does that not seem ridiculous? Is there anything that can be done that will reduce the amount of $ a candidate can spend, or accept as donations, from unions, corporations, etc.

And I'm not trying to make this a shot at the Republicans, because Obama's presidential campaign cost a sh!tload. I mean think of what all the money that is raised by the DNC and RNC, and what it could do for problems in this country, infrastructure, etc.

Am I the only one who thinks this way? Probably.

 

I was reading that earlier, and was actually kind of wondering when that would happen. It's ridiculous. I mean how do we even know that elections are even legit? When you start talking about corporations who have millions invested in a candidate, they have a lot to lose if their guy isn't elected.

 

the rep and dems are not part of the government. if they raise money its theirs. it is not for you to consider how that money could help the government. its private money.

its like if you and me pool money to elect a pro-marijuana guy, and we invest huge amounts into getting him elected, and we even get money from massive corporations, perhaps even pharm companies that want to sell legal marijuana. how is that anyone else's business but us, the party members?

would you say "hey, that candidate is bought by big pharaceutical, because he wants to change marijuana laws so they can sell legal pot! AAAAAGGGH!"

i wouldnt say that.

vote for you want, dont worry about the people financing the campaigns. if you dont like a candidate vote him out.

of course i know the government pays into the campaigns, that is terrible and a complete racket.

 

yes, it is called totalitarianism. in free societies i can donate however much i want to whomever i want.

 

and you should be allowed to. but a corporation is not a person.

 

so you are cool with foreign companies influencing American elections?

 

if you and i start a corp that sells, for example, organic marijuana, and we create jobs and sell glorious weed that makes people happy, we should be free to use our money, as a corporation to fund who we like, especially candidates that favor our policies.

sure. of course! why wouldnt i be. i only care about actual policy. i would love it if the german party for free trade started donating money to free trade candidates in america, influencing elections. it always depends on the actual policy itself. i dont care who finances what. i like candidates or i dont. i vote, you vote, the end.


if you dont like mccain or obama find a better candidate to vote for. perhaps a guy who is bought by your favorite corporations instead of whichever ones you think are evil.

 

also , if you try to regulate this, you just get private groups that dont directly donate to the campaigns, so they can secretly get messages out that are not directly tied to the candidate. like swift boat veterans for truth. they destroy kerry and bush keeps his hands clean because it isnt not under his control, or at he says it isnt, because the money isnt his. so candidates just bury each other without even getting their hands dirty.