If you watch Jon Stewart and/or The Colbert Report, you sure know what I’m talking about.
If you remember Kerry losing the 2004 Presidential election because of the drama stirred up from the Swiftboat attack ads, questioning Kerry’s integrity, then you are familiar with the nasty power of traditional PACs. Just wait until you hear about Super PACs.
In this election cycle, the Super PACs are in full force. There are Super PACs (political organizations that can raise as much money as they want with unrestricted single donation amounts, in support of a candidate, as long as they don’t actually interact with the candidate) that will raise up to $300 million in this Presidential election. Their goal is to get their candidate elected by taking out the other candidates. Mostly with negative attack ads, robo calls, etc. You’re familiar with their tactics.
Did you know it’s harder to create a TV commercial selling white bread because of FCC regulations you have to go through to prove your claims. With political ads you apparently aren’t under the same scrutiny, so you don’t have to prove the claims you’re making. So it’s pretty easy to get a negative campaign ad about a candidate on TV.
Sometimes the Super PACs get fined when the Federal Election Commission finds out that they are cohorting with a candidate (you’re not allowed to communicate remember). Fined how much you ask? Anywhere from $50,000 to $300,000. Hmm, sounds significant. I guess unless you consider that some of these Super PACs are raising tens of millions of dollars. So maybe a $200,000 fine here and there is the cost of doing business?
Back to Stephen Colbert. Maybe you’ve heard, he’s founded his own Super PAC. Why? Not to attack any particular candidate. But to draw more attention to how Super PACs are destroying the political system in the United States.
Stephen Colbert’s Super PAC is running the following outrageous TV ad right now in South Carolina, if you can believe it:
How much as Stephen Colbert raised? The funny thing is that he doesn’t have to tell us! Well, Super PACs are supposed to release the names of their donors, with donation amounts, every 3 months. But you know what? Stephen Colbert formed his Super PAC in July and he hasn’t reported any of his donations. And no one seems to care. He says the FEC could fine him but they’d have to rule he did something wrong. And they’re split 3-3 (republican-democrat) so they can never actually ever agree on anything to rule on. So he’s fine to just keep wreaking havoc… showing how out of control Super PACs are.
I don’t know what the solution is to Super PAC fiascos. They are supported by a 5-4 Supreme Court decision in 2010 (Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission), with the majority coming from liberal judges. And it sounds like the Supreme Court will never reverse its own decision, so the only thing that could change the system now is an amendment to the United States Constitution (no easy task).
Oh and don’t think this is a nasty Republican thing. Democrats are currently raising oodles in their own Super PACs, in support of President Obama. They will be fired up and ready to rip to shreds whoever the Republican candidate ends up being.
It’s going to be interesting. Can’t wait to watch the 2012 election unfold.
After a last minute surge on both sides of Prop F, the polls have closed, the election commission has certified the results and the people have spoken.
Just hours before polls were set to open last night, the election commission (me) learned from an unreliable source (Lindsey) that the Ford Explorer was sold on Saturday (to a cop, no less).
The good news is that Lindsey hasn’t handed the title over. Meaning, if enough votes are cast there may still be time to convince Lindsey to bail on the cop (bad karma I know, but this is important), grovel at the feet of the Freestar owner (for being so foolish and turning down the offer) and make the trade happen after all.
The polls are poll is open until 5 PM PT | 8 PM ET. Vote early and vote often. (yes, often… I never said this was a democracy.)
My coworker Lindsey is selling her 2003 Ford Explorer because she doesn’t need/want a car in the city anymore. Late last week, she received a Craigslist reply to her for ad inquiring whether or not she’d consider trading her Explorer for a Ford Freestar minivan (sweet!). Lindsey, acting without thinking the proposition through, declined the trade.
Imagine my surprise when I found all of this out. A Ford Freestar minivan!? What spells fun more than a minivan?
Today, I am formally launching a campaign to get Lindsey to reconsider the offer. On Tuesday, February 17, 2009, I will be holding a special election (at no cost to the people of the state of California) on this blog. Come by on Tuesday to show your support for Proposition Freestar (otherwise known as Prop. F).
You’ve got about 24 hours left to send out your electronic Valentines. Why not take advantage of the witty ol’ GOP, who has developed some very cute and loving V-Day greeting cards. (Source: Joy E.)
How do you feel about waiting at train crossings? Watch this and then tell me how you feel about train crossings. (Source: Emily W.)
Snuggie? Not for me. Slap chop? Already got it. Tater mitts? I want! (Source: Lindsey S.)
While I did have an extremely productive week , I also found time to enjoy some great interwebz content.
As you may remember in last week’s LOTW, I included a link to the Huffington Post poll for “Hottest Congressional Freshman.” I’m happy to report that hottie Aaron Schock from Illinois was crowned the winner! In an ironic turn of events, today I was contacted by Rep. Schock’s director of communications who inquired about participating in Digg Dialogg. (I secured and organized Leader John Boehner for the most recent Digg Dialogg.)
Hellz yeah Ashley Judd, you go on ripping Sarah Palin a new one. Check out her great PSA for the wolves and the bears of Alaska (you gotta say it like Palin). But whatever you do, don’t watch Elisabeth Hasslbeck’s reaction.
A blog I check out regularly is that of a pug owner in Florida. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, just a daily chronicle of life with four pugs. It’s usually good for some cute pictures. The most recent post, however, took things to a new level. Apparently the owner prepares a special diet for their pugs and actually prepares all their meals a month at a time. Check it out here.
Want random YouTube? Here you go. I heart Jerry and his ability to occupy himself for hours on end. (Source: Dave)
Ok, when I say random YouTube, it’s most likely going to be random cute animal YouTube. Here’s another one that I love. (Source: icanhazcheezburger)
Craving some disturbing yet interesting medical news? Or maybe just craving having your kidney removed through your vagina? No, I’m not kidding. Favorite excerpt from the story: “A kidney weighs approximately one pound and is roughly the size of a clenched hand.” A clenched hand… did you really just say clenched hand in this story? (Source: Raymond)
And (almost) last but not least, perhaps the most popular link from our office this week… Humorous video of a young boy flyin’ high on somethin’ good from the dentist. (Source: Marcelo)
So my friend Emily W. is having a big election night party next week and she shared with me the menu she put together for the festivities. I think this is pretty much the most brilliant thing I’ve seen in a long time. Barack needs to hire her as Secretary of Homeland Creativity as soon as he gets elected.
FOOD MENU
BARACKOS
chicken or ground turkey tacos with cheddar cheese, tomatos, lettuce, and sour cream; choice of hard shell
or soft tortilla
SLOPPY JOE BIDENS
ground turkey sloppy joes on a sesame seed bun
CHIPS OF CHANGE
tortilla chips with choice of four dips:
guacamole, cheesy bean, salsa, or cream cheese salsa
NACHO YEAR, JOHN MCCAIN
oven baked nachos, extra cheese
YES WE CANCAKES
vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting, served with a side of hope
PRO-CHOICE PRETZELS
chocolate covered pretzel topped with your choice of m&m color
SAME SEX SUGAR COOKIES
cookies that enjoy all the same rights as traditional sugar cookies
A Dummies Guide to Super PACs
Are you paying attention to Super PACs?
If you watch Jon Stewart and/or The Colbert Report, you sure know what I’m talking about.
In this election cycle, the Super PACs are in full force. There are Super PACs (political organizations that can raise as much money as they want with unrestricted single donation amounts, in support of a candidate, as long as they don’t actually interact with the candidate) that will raise up to $300 million in this Presidential election. Their goal is to get their candidate elected by taking out the other candidates. Mostly with negative attack ads, robo calls, etc. You’re familiar with their tactics.
Did you know it’s harder to create a TV commercial selling white bread because of FCC regulations you have to go through to prove your claims. With political ads you apparently aren’t under the same scrutiny, so you don’t have to prove the claims you’re making. So it’s pretty easy to get a negative campaign ad about a candidate on TV.
Sometimes the Super PACs get fined when the Federal Election Commission finds out that they are cohorting with a candidate (you’re not allowed to communicate remember). Fined how much you ask? Anywhere from $50,000 to $300,000. Hmm, sounds significant. I guess unless you consider that some of these Super PACs are raising tens of millions of dollars. So maybe a $200,000 fine here and there is the cost of doing business?
Back to Stephen Colbert. Maybe you’ve heard, he’s founded his own Super PAC. Why? Not to attack any particular candidate. But to draw more attention to how Super PACs are destroying the political system in the United States.
Stephen Colbert’s Super PAC is running the following outrageous TV ad right now in South Carolina, if you can believe it:
How much as Stephen Colbert raised? The funny thing is that he doesn’t have to tell us! Well, Super PACs are supposed to release the names of their donors, with donation amounts, every 3 months. But you know what? Stephen Colbert formed his Super PAC in July and he hasn’t reported any of his donations. And no one seems to care. He says the FEC could fine him but they’d have to rule he did something wrong. And they’re split 3-3 (republican-democrat) so they can never actually ever agree on anything to rule on. So he’s fine to just keep wreaking havoc… showing how out of control Super PACs are.
I don’t know what the solution is to Super PAC fiascos. They are supported by a 5-4 Supreme Court decision in 2010 (Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission), with the majority coming from liberal judges. And it sounds like the Supreme Court will never reverse its own decision, so the only thing that could change the system now is an amendment to the United States Constitution (no easy task).
Oh and don’t think this is a nasty Republican thing. Democrats are currently raising oodles in their own Super PACs, in support of President Obama. They will be fired up and ready to rip to shreds whoever the Republican candidate ends up being.
It’s going to be interesting. Can’t wait to watch the 2012 election unfold.
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Posted in Commentary, Ranting
Tagged current events, for dummies, politics, super pacs