A
new super power has risen since 2010. PACs have the power that cannot only
affect our country but the whole world. This power has given the ability to
individuals to huge cooperation’s to sway politics and elections. This power
was first created in 1907 by Congress with the Tillman act, according to the
Federal Election Commission (FEC), and slowly crafted over the years by
election laws, amendments, and court precedence, to what it now is today. Today with the up coming presidential
elections, these Super PACs have the money to buy the resources needed to win
elections, is that a power our country needs, shouldn’t there be some
limitations who and what yields this power, who is in charge? Super PAC’s need
to be rained in, more controls need to be in place, our elected officials and
our futures should not be purchased.
In
1867 the first law preventing federal officials from taking money from Navy
Yard Works was put into place and over the next 100 years congress would vote
into law more campaign finance laws, according to the FEC. These laws would
limit contributions to prevent the wealthy from having influence over elected
officials, prohibit specific sources of money, put limits on campaign spending,
and require full disclosure of finances during campaigns. Then with new laws in
place, Political Action Committees or PAC’s grew at a fast rate between the
1970’s and 1980’s according to CQ Roll Call. PACs fall into two categories,
Connected or Nonconnected. Connected are connected to corporations or other
large formal structured organizations. Nonconected PACs are formed by
single-issue or ideological groups. Under federal law, a PAC can only
contribute directly to a candidate a total of $5,000 per election. When it
comes to helping a candidate, a PAC can spend independently as much as they
want to, as long as there is no direct coordination with the candidate. During
the 1999-2000 election it was recorded that the top 50 PAC’s gave almost $75
Million.
In
2010 the Supreme Court gave what is now called the “Citizens United” ruling. In
this ruling according to Cordes (2011), Corporations, Unions and individuals
could now donate limitless funds to outside groups, for the purpose to support
or go against candidates. After the ruling just one Super PAC had raised $35
Million. Under FEC guidelines and law,
it would appear on paper as if this was a avenue for those who normally
wouldn’t have a voice in politics to speak load and clear. PAC’s could be used
to either support candidates that these groups feel will help them achieve
their goals, or a legal way to throw obstacles in the way of candidates that
oppose what they want. As long as a candidate doesn’t directly interact with
one of these Super PACs, all is legal. If the candidate says what they need,
through the media, and the Super PAC is listening then coordination can exist.
It’s
when people look closer at who is actually donating the money, how much, and to
which PACs is when it becomes clear what is going on. FOX news reported that
millionaires and billionaires are the top donators. A pro-Romney PAC with just
282 registered donors was able to raise $30 Million dollars, with an average
donation of $100,000. With donors like Robert Mercer, a executive with a hedge
firm, Paul Singer the founder of Elliott Management Corp, and J.W. Marriott Jr.
the chairmen of Marriott International. The PAC, Restore Our Future has spent
$17 million against Newt Gingrich’s campaign to date.
The
spirit of political activity committees is to provide the common person or
person to find a way to influence candidates and possibly the government. This
spirit has been crushed. With the rich battling it out with tons of
uncontrolled campaign spending. The public should encourage not only the
politicians in office but also the Supreme Court to reexamine this monstrosity
of campaign financing. Our politicians
will win their elections by buying them if the whole system of campaign
financing isn’t put back into control, only then will the elections be one by
the best candidates and not the most connected.
References
Battle
of the billionaires—Super PACS offer chance for high rollers to sway 2012 race
(n.d.) retrieved from http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/11/battle-billionaires-super-pacs-offer-chance-for-high-rollers-to-sway-2012-race/
Cordes,
N.,(June 30, 2011) Colbert Gets a Super PAC: So what are they? Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/06/30/eveningnews/main20075941.shtml
The
Federal Election Campaign Laws: A Short History (n.d.) retrieved from http://www.fec.gov/info/appfour.htm
Political
Action Committees (PAC) (n.d.) retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20110708200810/http://corporate.cqrollcall.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=233
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