Campaign Finance Day 8

Money in Elections  In 2008 candidates for office, political parties, and independent groups spent $5,300,000,000  Over $1,000,000,000 was spent by the two Presidential candidates (Barack Obama & John McCain) alone  In 2010 the average elected member in the House of Representatives spent $1,400,000 and the average elected Senator spent $9,800,000  In every election more and more money seems to be spent. BUT WHY?

Essential Questions  What is campaign finance?  Who donates to campaigns?  What do candidates use the money for?  How have campaign finance laws changed over time?  Do political contributions give undue influence to donors?  Do limits on campaign contributions violate free speech?

Campaign Finance Defined  Campaign Finance: All funds raised in order to promote candidates, political parties, or policies in elections, referendums, initiatives, party activities, and party organizations  Basically it’s the process by which candidates and political parties raise money to help promote an issue or get a candidate elected.

Where does the money come from?  Individual Contributions: Donations to candidates or political parties from individual citizens.  As the table below demonstrates, the majority of individual contributions come from a select few individuals who give a large amount.

Where does the money come from?  Political Action Committees (PACs): A type of organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaign for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.  Super PAC: a type of independent political action committee which may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, and individuals but is NOT permitted to contribute to or coordinate directly with parties or candidates.  527 and 501c4 Groups: a type of U.S. tax exempt organization created to influence the election or defeat of candidates to office. Before the Supreme Court decision in Citizens United V. The FEC (Federal Elections Commission) these groups could not expressly advocate for the election or defeat of a specific candidate, but could only promote an issue. However, after the Supreme Court decision in 2010 these groups can directly advertise on behalf of or against a candidate, but cannot coordinate directly with parties or candidates.

What do candidates use the money for? Campaigns cost a lot of money to run. Everything from hiring people to coordinate and canvass to renting large spaces for rallies, paying to fuel the jet, and T.V. and print advertisements. The costs associated are broken down into 7 categories 1. Media- 29% 2. Fundraising- 21% 3. Salaries- 16% 4. Administrative- 12% 5. Unclassifiable- 8% 6. Strategy & Research- 7% 7. Campaign Expenses- 7%

How have campaign finance regulations changed?

In your notes, either agree or disagree with the following statements. 1. Donors who give a lot of money to candidates are given easier access to policymakers which is an unfair advantage. 2. Money buys influence, and therefore there should be restrictions regarding how much money individuals can give directly to candidates. 3. Corporations should not be allowed to be involved in campaign financing of any kind. 4. Money should not be considered speech. Even though it may be used to purchase advertising, which is a form of speech, we should restrict the rights of groups and individuals to purchase media slots advocating for the election or defeat of a candidate. 5. We should have public (government controlled) funding of all federal elections to keep our government from becoming corrupt.

Read: Structured Academic Controversy Background and Context of Debate (5 min) Then, choose a side: Yes we should limit/regulate how candidates raise or spend campaign contributions in order to prevent corruption. OR No we should not limit/regulate how candidates raise or spend campaign contributions because it limits the rights of the people involved.

You have 5 minutes

Read your chosen side’s handout and complete the graphic organizer to prepare your arguments for the structured academic controversy (10 minutes)

You have 10 minutes

Get together with your group (yes or no) and as a group decide on your 3 best arguments and evidence to support each argument (5 minutes)

You have 5 minutes

Select 1 person from your group to be your partner in the structured academic controversy (30 seconds)

You have 30 seconds

Select a group from the other side to debate against, and sit across from one another (1 min)

You have 1 minute

The YES group will have 2 minutes to present their 3 arguments and evidence

You have 2 minutes

The NO group now has 1 minute to respond to the YES group’s arguments. (Hint: Do not go into your arguments just yet, you will have time shortly to do that)

You have 1 minute

The No group will have 2 minutes to present their 3 arguments and evidence

You have 2 minutes

The YES group now has 1 minute to respond to the NO group’s arguments. (Hint: Do not go into your arguments just yet, you will have time shortly to do that)

You have 1 minute

You now have 3 minutes to work together as a group of 4 to determine a compromise between both group’s ideas and write them on a sheet of notebook paper to share with the class

You have 3 minutes

Homework  Return back to the electoral college strategy essay that was completed for homework last class (Day 7). From that strategy pick the 5 states that you will target intensely. Then, complete the “Campaign Finance Strategy” assignment by next class.

Resources Information provided by George C. Edwards, Robert L. Lineberry, & Martin P. Wattenberg. Government in America: People, Politics, and Policy. New York: Longman, rm Images Provided by Video Provided by Hughes, Keith. Citizens United Explained. 12 April Video.