campaign finance

Question 1

what are PACs?

Answer 1

political action committees

Question 2

what do PACs do?

Answer 2

they raise money for the direct purpose of electing or defeating candidates in elections. donations tyo them are limited to $5000 per year per donation

Question 3

what are Super PACs?

Answer 3

-a special type of PAC that only deals with independent expenditures
-they can raise or spend unlimited amounts of money for political campaigning but can’t make direct payments to candidates or parties

Question 4

what’s soft money?

Answer 4

no limitd

Question 5

what’s hard money?

Answer 5

limits

Question 6

how much was spent on the 2020 election?

Answer 6

$14 billion

Question 7

how did the federal election act of 1917 increase transparency and limit spending?

Answer 7

-candidates, parties and PACs had to report all donations over $100
-donations over $5000 had to be reported within 48hrs
-caps on TV advertising
-spending limits e.g. $50,000 for presidential/vice

Question 8

what’s the FEC?

Answer 8

-federal election commission
-it enforces and regulates campaign donation laws

Question 9

arguments that US campaign finance should be regulated:

Answer 9

-election spending has become increasingly out of control e.g. in 2020 more money spent than the previous two elections doubled
-emphasis on funding distracts elected representatives from focusing on their real job
-only the personally wealthy can really afford to donate and even enter politics, which heightens the elitist nature of it
-instances of non-disclosure such as with dark money
-many funding platforms e.g. 501 (c) groups don’t need to disclose donors
-reforms are needed to plug loopholes e.g. emergence of super pacs

Question 10

arguments that US campaign finance shouldn’t be regulated:

Answer 10

-political donations allow supporters to show additional loyalty to their favourite candidates/ causes, in the US donating is seen as an expression of free speech
-the supreme court has merely upheld crucial first amendment rights by striking down some campaign reform laws
-political donation does usually come with transparency and disclosure
-candidates in reality must listen to a wide range of their voters, and would be unwise to ignore the concerns of ordinary voters and be influence by wealthy donors only