Demo & Particip - Finance and Electoral Reform

Question 1

Campaign donations - Overview

Vote value, Groups, Effect

Answer 1

• Around 20$ per vote 2016
• 527 Groups can raise unlimited money for pol activities, just not for a specific candidate
• PACs raise hard money for specific candidates but limited to 5K per candidate per election
• Super PACs raise unlimited for pol activities, can support or oppose candidates just not organise w campaign
• Most cash usually wins, not 2016, Hilary 1.4B, trump 950M, Trump got est. 2B free social media

Question 2

Campaign finance reforms

Answer 2

• 1974 FECA - Legal limits on campaign contributions
• 2002 BCRA - banned soft money, corps from donating, ban ads 30 days before election, 60 primary, matching funds
• 2010 Cit Uni v FEC - Undid BCRA created super PACs can raise unlimited for ADs, corps given 1st,

Question 3

Reform theory - Those who have had impact

Answer 3

• SC - Cit Uni v FEC made it hard to limit spending
• Politicians - Those who can make change benefit from it
• Loopholes are constantly found - Many group types benefit from SC ruling, too.
• FEC - Constantly gridlocked, fails to work

Question 4

Electoral reform - Why is reform needed

Answer 4

Why is reform needed

• Swing states are too important
• Small states overrepresented - Wyoming/Texas 500k
• Third parties ignored
• Winner might not have majority vote, undermining mandate, happened 5 times
• Winter takes all distorts will of voters
• Rogue EC Voters
• EC Is outdated

Question 5

Electoral Reform - National popular vote Interstate compact

Answer 5

• 10 states agree to give their EC votes to the popular vote winner nationally
• Should make winner do well in EC
• Little progress, most signed on are democrat

Question 6

Electoral Reform - Reform is needed 4

Answer 6

• States - Large states underrepresented
• Public - Two in the last 5 elections, popular vote not followed
• President - Encourages focus on swing states
• Constitution - EC Makes the US Const look outdated

Question 7

Reform isn’t needed 4

Answer 7

• States - EC Is state power, Protects voice of small states and ensures all areas of state are represented
• Public - EC follows Const. Principle of avoiding tyranny of majority, two parties are enough choice
• President - usually decisive result
• Constitution - The electoral college works as intended keeping pres away from pop vote